The Life, Love and Laughter of Marlene McKinnon
by Fonzzx
Summary: Follow the Marauders, Lily, Marlene and their friends through their final year at Hogwarts and until October 31st, 1981. Blackinnon & Jily. Criticism welcome, no flames please.
1. Chapter 1

The late summer sun was streaming through open doors into a kitchen. Three teenagers were sat at a table; two boys and a girl. The two boys were eating breakfast, the girl was reading a newspaper.

"Hey, Marley, pass the butter," one of the boys said cheerfully. The girl didn't look up from her newspaper. "Marls?"

Her brown eyes appeared over the top of the paper. "What?"

The boy who'd addressed her grinned. He had similar brown eyes to her, but his were behind glasses. "Are you hanging?"

"No James, I'm not. Unlike you, I can actually handle alcohol."

The other boy got up under the pretence of clearing the plates away. He bent over the girl.

"LOUD NOISES!" he shouted cheerfully, causing James to laugh and Marley to wince and hit him.

"God, I hate you Black."

He smirked. "You love me really McKinnon."

She gave him a filthy look, and stormed off.

James was still laughing. "Oh Sirius. I'm so glad you live here now. We can piss her off 24/7."

"But she doesn't live here, James."

"She pretty much does."

"Only because I'm here. If I wasn't, she wouldn't bother spending so much time with you."

"Stop being an arrogant arse," James grinned.

Sirius laughed. "James, I will never _ever _do what you tell me."

James pouted. "You have to now. I'm Head Boy!"

"Have you told Evans yet?"

"Er, no. She shouted at me after we got off the train so I haven't spoken to her all summer. Maybe she'll have warmed to me in absence."

"Doubt it. She's a lost cause."

"We'll see," James smirked.

The boys left the kitchen, and walked through a large hallway and climbed the stairs. They turned to the first bedroom on the right. Marley was throwing clothes into a trunk.

"What are you doing?" James asked her.

"Going home."

"I'm sorry? I was under the impression you lived here."

"Very funny."

"I'm serious. You've been here, what, three weeks?"

"Well we're going back to school tomorrow. I have to pack my stuff."

James rolled his eyes. Marley had a lot of stuff, even for a girl. "Have you heard from Lily this week?"

"Yep."

"Is she Head Girl?"

"Yep."

"Did you tell her I was Head Boy?"

"No. I thought it'd be a nice surprise for tomorrow." She grinned. "Fuck, I've been spending too much time with you two. I didn't know I could be so mean."

"I did," Sirius said, leaning against the door frame.

Marley made a rude gesture at him, before walking over to the fireplace and disappearing in a flash of green fire.

"Rude," James grumbled. "She didn't even say bye to her favourite cousin."

"You're her _only _cousin, James."

* * *

Marley pushed her way through the crowd of students milling around on the platform, looking for her friends.

"Marley! Over here!"

She followed the voice and found Lily Evans, Mary MacDonald, Remus Lupin and Peter Pettigrew.

"You look nice, Marls."

"Cheers, Remus."

"We were just discussing who's been made Head Boy," Mary said. "Lily doesn't know who it is. It's not Remus, like we all thought it would be."

"You mean he didn't tell you?" I said to Remus and Peter, who looked confused.

"You know who it is?" Lily said. "Who is it?"

"James," Marley said, grinning.

"_What?_" Everyone said at the same time.

"Please tell me you're joking." Lily looked absolutely horrified at the thought. "James Potter?"

"MARLEY!" A loud voice shouted, and she was knocked over. James had tackled her to the ground. "I missed you."

"You saw me yesterday, idiot."

"He's Head Boy?" Lily still couldn't believe what she was hearing.

"Yes, Lily, I'm Head Boy," James beamed.

"I think I need to go and sit down," Lily said faintly, and walked up to the front of the train where the Prefects compartment was. James and Remus followed her.

A hand appeared in front of Marley's face, and she grabbed it and got up.

"You know Marls, I wish you'd told me what you were going to wear, so we didn't match."

"Fucking hell Black! It took me ages to pick this!"

They were both wearing ripped jeans, black t shirts and blazers. Marley was wearing black stilettos and Sirius was wearing trainers.

"Hmmm. I suppose you look good... not as good as me though," Sirius grinned.

"I could bloody well hex you, Black."

"Shall we er, get on the train then?" Peter asked, trying to diffuse the tension.

Marley climbed on first and threw herself into a window seat, fuming. Sirius sat in the opposite corner and deliberately looked away.

"You two really have been spending far too much time together," Mary said, looking from one to the other.

"James' fault," they both said at the same time, and smiled.

Several people passed the compartment on their way to find seats. Several girls stopped to flirt with Sirius, until a younger version of him passed, glared into the compartment, and Sirius slammed the door shut, shattering the windows.

"What's going on there?" Marley frowned.

"None of your bloody business, McKinnon."

She simply stared at him.

Sirius sighed. "He signed up over the summer."

"How do you know? I mean, is it definite?" Peter asked.

"He showed me his Mark at Uncle Alph's funeral. So yeah, it's pretty definite."

Mary repaired the window and Sirius sat brooding.

"You should tell Dumbledore," Marley said quietly.

"Yeah, I will."

"Have you thought about his offer?" Marley asked suddenly.

"Yeah. I'm going to do it."

"Me too. How can we not?"

"Care to fill us in?" Mary asked.

"No," Sirius snapped. Mary, used to his attitude, just rolled her eyes.

A couple of hours passed by before James, Lily and Remus returned.

"Mary, Marley, I need to talk to you both," Lily said, standing at the door. The three of them made their way to the now deserted Prefects compartment.

"What's wrong?" Mary asked her, once they were inside.

"James. He's... different."

"No he's not," Marley snorted. "Trust me, I spent all summer with him."

"He's behaving himself. He didn't insult anyone, or hex anyone... do you reckon he's under the Imperius curse?"

Marley and Mary burst out laughing.

"This isn't funny!" Lily said hotly.

"Lily, did you see him chuck himself at Marley? He's definitely himself, and not Imperiused," Mary laughed.

"Are you sure?" Lily turned her green eyes onto Marley's brown ones.

"Yes," Marley said. "Sirius and I have been with him every day for the last two months. There's no way he got Imperiused."

Further down the train, the four boys were finally reunited.

"Anything good happen over the summer?" Peter asked them.

"There's a new potion that's been invented," Remus said. "It's supposed to tame werewolves during their transformation."

"Awww, that's no fun," Sirius said, looking disappointed. "I like our midnight adventures on a full moon."

"Speak for yourself," Remus muttered darkly, remembering the pain of transforming. It never dulled, and he never got used to it, even though it had been nearly fourteen years since he'd been bitten.

"Between Quidditch, Head Boy duties, NEWTs and Lily, I don't think I'll have time for full moon escapades," James said regretfully. "Sorry Moony."

"It's alright," Remus sighed. "Dumbledore wrote to me and told me he'd got enough in to last the year, but I still have to go to the Shrieking Shack... just in case."

The girls returned then.

"Any good gossip?" James asked, his hazel eyes sparkling mischievously.

"I heard that Amelia Bones and Amos Diggory are going out," Mary said, giving a meaningful look to Marley and Sirius.

They both shrugged.

"Clingy," Sirius said.

"Pathetic," Marley countered, and they both grinned at each other.

Sirius pulled out a cigarette, lit it, took a drag, and passed it to Marley.

"Marley, you don't smoke," Lily scolded her, shocked.

Marley shrugged. "Sirius is a bad influence."

Lily rounded on James. "Are you going to let them do that?"

James laughed. "I learned a long time ago that you can't tell Sirius Black _or _Marlene McKinnon what to do. They just ignore you."

Lily glared at him. He sighed. "Come on guys, put it out."

"Or what?" Sirius laughed. "What are you going to do? Put us in detention? You wouldn't dare."

"Wanna bet, Padfoot?"

"Yes, actually Prongs, I do," Sirius leaned back, amused, and Marley passed the cigarette back to him. "Why is it covered in red stuff?"

"It's lipstick," Marley said. "You know, the stuff you get all over your face when you pull some random girl."

Sirius took the last pull and flicked the cigarette out the window. "There, it's gone. Happy now?"

Over the course of the afternoon, the seven teenagers resorted to different activities. Marley reapplied her make up. Sirius stared out the window. Lily read a book. James and Peter talked about Quidditch. Remus read the newspaper. Mary wrote a letter to her family. Eventually they got changed into their school uniform as the train began to slow down. They pushed their way off the train.

"Come on," Sirius muttered, grabbing Marley's hand and pulling her towards a horseless carriage.

"What's going on there?" Lily asked James, looking at Marley's blonde head and Sirius' dark head disappear through the crowd.

"What?" James asked.

"God James, you're dense," Mary said. "Marls and Sirius are holding hands. And they're not arguing as much as usual."

"I dunno. I suppose they've got used to each other now."

"Oi, are you lot coming?" Sirius shouted, poking his head out of the window of a carriage.

They followed suit and climbed in. Sirius and Marley were no longer holding hands, Marley was fiddling with one of her long blonde curls, Sirius watching her absently.

Lily and Mary watched the two of them curiously. They weren't sat close together, their body language didn't suggest that anything was going on. But they used to argue constantly, and they were both very good at hiding things that they didn't want others to know about.

Marley finally noticed Sirius staring at her. "What?" she asked him.

"Hmmm?" he shook himself out of his thoughts.

"You were looking at me weird."

"Oh, sorry. I was somewhere else."

The seven of them jumped out of the carriage when it pulled up at the castle. Marley was instantly knocked into Sirius.

"Oi, watch it," the person who had pushed her snapped. She looked up, and saw the greasy hair and prominent nose of Severus Snape.

"I think you should be the one to watch it, Snivelly," Sirius snarled, helping Marley up for the second time that day.

"Is that a threat, Black?"

"Sev, stop it," Lily said quietly. Snape turned his gaze to her, and stormed off.

"Are you ok?" Sirius asked Marley, his hands still lightly touching her waist.

"I really wish people would stop pushing me over today," she grumbled, and walked into the castle. The others followed her.

"Did you see him over the summer?" Mary asked Lily in an undertone.

Lily shook her head. "He keeps to himself now."

"I never could understand why you were friends with him," Mary said quietly.

"He was my best friend," Lily said sadly. "But he's one of _them _now." She cast a dark look towards the table where Snape and his friends were sitting.

"Do you think he's a Death Eater?"

"I don't know, Mary."

* * *

Marley was keen to get into bed after the Welcoming Feast. The other girls in the dormitory had other ideas, and wanted to catch up after the summer. Mary, Lily, and Alice Cooper were sat in the middle of the room, trading gossip.

After ten minutes of them not shutting up, Marley gave up on sleep and climbed through the window onto the roof.

"Fancy seeing you up here, McKinnon," said the familiar voice of Sirius Black.

"Couldn't sleep," Marley said, sitting next to him and grabbing the cigarette in his hand.

"Neither could I. James wouldn't shut up about his new plan to get Lily."

"Lily just won't shut up."

Sirius looked at her. "Why are you wearing my t shirt?"

Marley looked down in surprise. "Oh, it's yours. I must've packed it with my stuff before I left James'."

"Come on McKinnon, whip it off."

"Piss off Black. I'm not wearing underwear."

"Even better," Sirius smirked.

In the dormitory, the girls were watching out the window as Marley and Sirius chatted.

"What's going on there?" Alice asked eagerly.

"We don't know," Mary said. "He held her hand earlier when we walked to the carriages, then when Snape pushed her over he helped her up and wouldn't let go of her."

"And he helped her up earlier when James knocked her over," Lily chimed in.

Alice giggled. "Oooooh, James. Has he asked you out since last year?"

Lily scowled. "No. He bloody better not. He's Head Boy. I might kill him."

"James is Head Boy?! Is Dumbledore mad?"

"Probably," Lily said. "Maybe being a genius has finally made him crack."

Marley climbed back through the window, followed by Sirius.

"Hello ladies," he smirked.

Marley grabbed a fresh t shirt out of her trunk and pulled the curtains around her bed closed.

"No bloody peeking," she said.

"Wouldn't dream of it," Sirius said, trying to tease the curtains apart.

Marley was too quick for him. She pulled the curtains apart and she'd already changed. She threw the t shirt at him.

"Bugger off, I'm going to bed," she told him.

Sirius climbed back out the window. "Night ladies."

The three girls stared at Marley.

"What?"

"You gave him your t shirt. That's weird," Mary said bluntly.

"It was his, I accidentally packed it."

It was silent for a few minutes.

"Do you fancy him?" Alice asked, getting straight to the point.

"What? No!" Marley said.

"So what was with the hand holding and touching earlier?" Mary asked.

Marley shrugged. "He's just friendly."

Lily snorted. "Friendly. That's one way of putting it."

Marley rolled her eyes. "I'm going to sleep, so you lot can shut up."

The other girls climbed into their beds too, and switched off their lamps.


	2. Chapter 2

"Morning," James said pleasantly as Lily, Alice and Mary sat down to breakfast. "Where's Marls?"

"Still preening herself," Mary answered. "The prettiest girl in the school has to keep up with demand."

"Talking about me, are you?" Sirius asked, joining them.

"Unless you're Marley and agonizing over your reflection about an imaginary spot, no," Lily said.

"It's not imaginary, it's _huge_," Marley said, sitting down.

"I still can't see it," Alice said.

Lily looked Marley up and down. "Marls, that's not uniform."

Marley frowned. "What are you talking about? Of course it is."

"Your skirt's too short, your cleavage is on display, you're wearing fishnets and where's your tie?"

Marley shrugged, evidently not bothered.

Lily sighed. "At least do your blouse up properly."

Marley sighed. "I can't."

"Why?"

"My boobs have grown."

"You can say that again," Sirius said cheekily, taking a look. "You've got a proper handful there, McKinnon."

"You would know," she smirked in reply.

Everyone looked at them.

"Alright, what's going on with you two?" James asked.

"What?" They both seemed surprised.

"You don't hate each other and I know you both too well to know that you're trying _not _to flirt with each other. And you're doing a crap job. So spill it."

"Nothing's going on James, we're just friends," Sirius laughed.

"Yeah, we thought it'd be easier on your mum if we weren't fighting every minute of every day," Marley smirked.

Professor McGonagall came round with the timetables then, and Sirius and Marley left for Care of Magical Creatures.

"I don't believe them," Alice said flatly.

"Nobody does," Remus agreed with her. "Sirius said exactly the same thing when we asked him last night."

"So did Marley," Lily said.

"Right, we need to get them to confess," James said, taking charge.

Lily watched him as he talked. Was his natural leadership why Dumbledore had made him Head Boy? He was already Quidditch captain.

"Lily, are you feeling alright? You look funny," James said.

Lily realised she'd been staring at him. "Sorry. I'm just tired. I didn't sleep well."

"Ok. Do you understand the plan?"

"What plan?"

James repeated what he'd just said, and Lily paid attention this time.

"Right. We'll do it at 8 o' clock tonight."

Sirius slipped his hand into Marley's as they walked towards the Forbidden Forest. "I think we're being too obvious," he said. "James gave me a right grilling when I got in last night."

Marley sighed. "I know. Did you hear Mary yesterday? She knew straightaway that something was different. And they spotted us holding hands."

"There are no secrets in this place," Sirius laughed. "I can't even sneak into your bed when everyone else is asleep anymore."

"We'd probably wake everyone up," Marley grinned. "How James and his parents could sleep through us having sex I'll never know."

"I may have cast a charm on your bedroom," Sirius smirked.

Sirius pulled her behind Hagrid's hut as they passed it, pinning her against the wall.

"We'll be late," she told him, as he gazed down at her.

"I know. I just wanted to tell you that you're beautiful."

"Shut it, Black," Marley smirked as he bent down to kiss her.

* * *

"You want me to what?" Marley laughed as Alice told her they were playing dares, and she was going first.

"Steal his shirt."

"Why?"

"Why not?" Mary chipped in.

"Alright," Marley shrugged. She was never one to refuse a dare. "Back in a minute."

She walked up the stairs to the boys dormitories, where she found Remus, Petter, James and Frank Longbottom playing exploding snap.

"Where's Sirius?" she asked James.

"In the shower."

Marley barged straight into the bathroom. James and Peter shared a smirk.

"I can't believe you sent her in there," Remus said quietly.

"Listen, I know Marls, and she can't resist a naked hot bloke like Sirius."

Alice, Lily and Mary poked their heads around the door.

"Is she in there?" Alice asked, grinning.

"Yeah," James replied.

"I can't hear anything," Lily said, her ear pressed against the door.

The bathroom was warm and steamy and smelled like Sirius, in a nice way. He hadn't seen or heard her come in. Marley spotted his clothes in a pile on the floor.

Suddenly the water stopped. "What are you doing with my shirt, McKinnon?"

Marley sighed and turned to face him, trying not to stare at his dripping wet body. "The girls dared me to nick it."

"Why should I let you nick it? You've already stolen half my clothes, you cheeky minx."

"Black, you love it when girls wander round the castle with your clothes."

"True," he grinned, stepping out the shower. "But I can't help but notice that I'm naked and you're not. I don't think that's fair."

Marley smiled in response. "I think I have time for a quick snog before everyone gets suspicious."

Sirius smirked and pulled her towards him. Their lips had barely met before the door flew open.

"Ha!" James crowed. "I bloody knew it! I knew there was something going on!"

Sirius moved Marley in front of him to hide his shame. "Alright, fine! Merlin, you lot are nosy."

"How long has this been going on?" Alice asked.

"Only for the last couple of months," Marley answered.

"No wonder you wouldn't get out of my house," James grinned. "So are you like a proper couple or what?"

"Well you know the other night when we got drunk," Sirius said. "And you passed out."

James winced at the memory.

"Well we started going out properly then."

"Why didn't you tell us?" Lily asked.

They both shrugged. They weren't very expressive when it came to their feelings, unless they were angry. Everyone knew when they were, it could be heard three floors away.

"Right, bugger off," Marley said. "I wasn't done kissing him."

"Don't shag in there, we all have to use that shower," James said, and Lily elbowed him. "Ow! It's a valid point, Lily!"

"How do you even know they're having sex yet?" Lily reprimanded him.

Everyone just looked at her. Marley and Sirius had a reputation as big as the castle.

"Oh." Lily blushed. "Right. Well, we'll just be going then..."

The door closed behind them and Marley started giggling.

"What's so funny?" Sirius asked, turning her back round to face him.

"It took them less than twenty four hours to find out," she laughed. "Fuck me."

"Hmmm, I like that idea," Sirius said cheekily, kissing her again.

"Merlin, I really think they're going to do it," James said, listening at the door. "We'd better go downstairs."

The seven teenagers went into the common room, and were joined after half an hour by Sirius and Marley, who were looking flushed. They went to their usual seats at opposite ends of the sofa.

"You two don't have anything to hide now, so you _can _actually sit together and do couple stuff, you know," Alice said to them.

Marley scowled, and Sirius scooted over and put his arm around her.

"Much better," Alice grinned.

The rest of the group returned to their conversation, and when they thought they were safe, Marley leaned into Sirius and he began playing with her hair.

The group groaned as Lily began her usual yearly lecture of making sure they all made goals and stuck to them. They usually let her just get on with it, but this year there was a catch. Everyone had to know so they could encourage each other in achieving them.

"Merlin Lily, you can really tell that your parents are teachers," Mary grumbled.

"School is kind of irrelevant at this point anyway," Peter said.

"What? It's not!" Lily looked shocked.

"Lily, we're in the middle of a war. We should just be aiming not to get killed," James said gently.

To their surprise, Lily burst into tears.

"Merlin Lily, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to upset you!" James said, panicking.

"I'm not crying because you upset me," Lily sobbed. "I'm crying because you're right! People are disappearing every day, what if it's one of our parents or friends or -"

"My parents disappearing would be a brilliant gift," Sirius muttered darkly.

Lily leaned on James and cried into his shoulder as he awkwardly tried to comfort her.

"It'll be ok, Lily," he murmured to her. "We all have each other. We're all family now."

* * *

Seven of their usual group of nine made their way to Professor McGonagall's office that evening. James and Sirius led the group, Remus just behind them, deep in thought, Alice, Lily and Marley gossiping loudly, and Frank tailing at the back.

Professor McGonagall had heard them coming and opened the door before they could knock. The teenagers weren't altogether surprised to see their headmaster, Professor Dumbledore, sat in Professor McGonagall's usual chair behind her desk.

"I am sure, given the fact that I called upon you before your summer holidays, you can be at no loss to know why you are here," Dumbledore smiled. They were an intelligent group... of _children_. He'd hated what he'd asked of them, but he'd had to.

They all nodded in response.

"I'm afraid that the time has come where I need your answers," he continued, somewhat sadly. "Will you join our resistance after you finish your education at Hogwarts?"

"Yes," James said first. "There was never any question of it really."

"Me too," Sirius chimed in. "Even if it means fighting against my brother."

Dumbledore raised an eyebrow. "Has he joined?"

"Yeah. He's an idiot."

"I'm in," Marley said.

"So am I," Lily added. "I wasn't sure until today."

"What changed your mind?" Professor McGonagall asked.

"How much I love my friends, and I realised that I want to fight for them."

"Very wise, Miss Evans," Dumbledore nodded.

"I'm in too, I want to be an auror," Alice said fiercely.

Frank nodded in agreement. He was never one to say much. He and Alice were perfect together, because she talked enough for the two of them.

Everyone looked at Remus, who smiled. "I thought my answer was obvious. Yes, I'll help. It's not like I can get a job."

Everyone smiled. Remus' "furry little problem" was common knowledge among their group, only because they were all so close that they noticed when he disappeared once a month.

After their meeting, James pulled Lily aside.

"Lily, don't take this the wrong way... but I don't want you to join the Order."

Trying not to get mad, she asked why.

"I don't want you in the line of fire. You're muggle-born, they're more likely to target you. I just want you to be safe."

"James, I think that's the nicest thing you've ever said to me," Lily smiled. "Merlin, I'm stuck with you forever aren't I?"

James grinned. They began walking back to the Gryffindor common room.

"Did you really have no idea about Marley and Sirius over the summer?" Lily asked him.

"Nope. Sirius was in his bed when I went to sleep and there when I woke up. And I never caught them kissing."

"They're good at hiding stuff, I suppose," Lily said, as they turned into a corridor and bumped into the couple themselves, walking along slowly and holding hands.

James was about to catch up to them when Lily pulled him back.

"No, let them be alone," she whispered. "I want to see how they act when they are."

"Ah, Evans, if only you'd said before," James chuckled, pulling a large bundle of silver material out of his bag.

Lily stared at it. "This is how you nick food from the kitchens, isn't it?"

James threw it around them and they crept closer.

"I think you should stay in my bed tonight," Sirius was saying to Marley.

"I think the rest of your dorm might complain about us having sex while they're asleep," Marley replied with a grin.

"I didn't mean it like that!" Sirius said, flustered. "I can't sleep without you there now."

Marley simply smiled, and stroked Sirius' hand with her thumb.

"You're bloody beautiful, McKinnon."

"You've already said that three times today, Black."

"Doesn't stop it being true," Sirius said cheekily.

"That's disgusting," James gagged.

"Shhhh!" Lily whispered.

"Did you hear something?" Marley asked.

Sirius looked behind them, even though he could see nothing, he knew that James was there. He leaned down and whispered in Marley's ear, and a grin appeared on her face.

James knew that smile. They were rumbled. He was quite curious to see what they'd do next though.

Both of them pulled out their wands, and sent silent curses down the corridor. One of them hit James and he toppled forwards, legs locked together, and Lily squealed as they both fell over. The Invisibility Cloak slipped off them.

"Lily!" Marley exclaimed. "I didn't think you'd be spying on us!"

"It doesn't matter," Sirius said. "Lily, you're coming with us. James, you have to bunny hop all the way to Gryffindor tower."

"But we're on the third floor!" James said. "That's so unfair!"

"You should've thought about that before spying on us," Marley said, laughing.

"Merlin," James said, struggling to get up. "Now I know how Snivelly feels."

Lily opened her mouth to tell him off but Sirius intervened. "Let it go Lily. Snape deserves to be hexed, he never misses an opportunity to curse one of us. He'd curse you as well if he had the chance."

Lily sighed. As much as she hated to think badly of her old friend, Sirius was probably right.

Progress up to the Gryffindor common room was slow. James kept crashing into things, like suits of armour, and falling over. After half an hour, it stopped being funny, and Sirius allowed him to walk the rest of the way properly.


	3. Chapter 3

Gryffindor tower was silent that night. The girls were all asleep in their beds, except for Marley, who was asleep in Sirius' bed, with his arms wrapped tightly around her waist.

Lily, who had struggled to get to sleep, was tossing and turning in her bed. She woke up suddenly, trying not to cry out. She got out of bed, and made her way to the boys dormitories.

She slipped into James' bed. She knew he'd read too much into it, and she didn't want to lead him on, but given the dream she'd just had, she needed comforting.

James stirred. "Lily?" he whispered, seeing nothing but a blur of red hair.

"Sorry," she replied. "I just..."

James made room for her. "Bad dream?"

"Yeah."

"Tell me," James said, putting an arm around her shoulder.

"It was awful James," Lily said, starting to cry again. "You were all dead. You and Marley and Sirius and..."

"It's ok," James said, stroking her hair. "It was just a dream. It's not real."

"But it could be," Lily whispered, her tears splashing onto James' bare chest. "We're all going into this war and we could die at any minute."

James closed his eyes and kissed her forehead. "I know."

Lily realised something. "James, we've been back at Hogwarts for a day now and you haven't asked me out yet."

"I know. I'm not going to."

Lily couldn't explain the pain shooting through her at that moment. She knew that she didn't like James in that way. "Why?"

"I'm not going to push you, Lily. I've made it clear how I feel, and you've made it clear how you feel. I'm not going to annoy you by asking you out every five minutes when I know what the answer will be. I'd rather have you as a friend than push you away completely."

"Wow, that sounds kind of mature."

James laughed. "Whoever knew that I could be mature?"

"Will you two either snog or shut up?" Marley sounded grouchy.

Lily didn't want to close the door completely on her and James, so she kissed him on the cheek and said goodnight, before getting out of his bed and walking to the door.

"Stay."

She did as he said, and climbed back into his bed. They adopted a similar position to Sirius and Marley and fell asleep.

* * *

"Sirius, you're squeezing too tight," Marley muttered when she woke up in the morning.

He mumbled something incoherent in response. She tried to wriggle free but he just pulled her back. He left one arm around her waist and brushed her hair aside with his free hand, before kissing her on the shoulder.

"I'm never getting out of here, am I?" Marley said, sighing in defeat.

"No," Sirius muttered into her shoulder.

"Marley, get up, we're going to breakfast," Lily said, coming out of the bathroom.

"If I could, I would."

"Sirius, let go of Marley. I need her."

"No."

"Please Sirius?"

"No."

Marley giggled. Lily looked at her questioningly.

"I don't think he's ever said no to a girl before."

"I'm shocked that you'd think such a thing," Sirius said cheekily, finally opening his eyes and letting Marley go.

The two girls returned to their own dormitory and got dressed for breakfast. It was the weekend, and the previous day had been eventful.

"Lily," Marley began, once she'd had her coffee. "What were you doing in James' bed last night?"

"Oh," Lily blushed, a deep pink that clashed with her red hair. "Well I, er, had a bad dream, and er..."

Marley smirked. She knew Lily would never ever admit to liking James.

"He's a bit more grown up now, you know? He said to me yesterday that he didn't want me joining the Order because he wants to keep me safe."

"And so you jumped into his bed?" Marley teased.

"No! It wasn't like that!" Lily was getting flustered.

"Yeah yeah," Marley's smirk widened. "I would willingly bet all the money in my vault that you end up with James Potter before the end of the year."

"Don't be silly Marley."

"_You _were the one who went crawling into his bed in the middle of the night!"

"You spent the night in Potter's bed?"

The two girls turned around. Behind them stood Severus Snape, looking horrified.

"Sev," Lily greeted him coolly, before turning back to Marley and changing the subject.

Snape was gone before Marley said anything else. "You've been spending too much time with James. You never used to wind Snape up like that. In fact, if anyone mentioned anything about James ever you'd verbally abuse him like there's no tomorrow!"

Lily shrugged. "I suppose he's replaced Sev as my best friend now."

"So your best friend went from one creepy annoying bloke to another, less creepy but still annoying bloke? Cheers."

Lily smiled at Marley's dry humour. "You know what I mean. You and Alice and Mary are my best girl friends, and James is my best boy friend."

"James would love to be your _actual _boyfriend."

"Yes, well..."

"You're actually considering it, aren't you?" Marley said shrewdly.

"No! Well, maybe. No, of course I'm not!"

James and Sirius joined them for breakfast then.

"Finally awake then?" Marley asked Sirius cheekily.

"I don't appreciate you leaving my bed at a ridiculous time in the morning, McKinnon."

"Maybe if you didn't squeeze so hard I'd be more inclined to stay."

"Merlin, I don't need to know what you two get up to," James shuddered. "I'm already having trouble with the idea of my best friend and my cousin actually going out, let alone doing anything else."

"Potter," Snape was back. "A word."

"Sure Snivelly darling, anything for you." Sirius gave a bark of laughter at James' response.

"In private," Snape hissed.

"No. Anything you have to say to me can be said in front of my friends."

Marley was surprised that they hadn't tried to hex each other yet.

"_Now_." James rolled his eyes, and followed Snape out of the Great Hall.

"Maybe we should follow them, just in case," Lily said, looking worried.

"Wait thirty seconds first," Sirius said. "Give the little slime ball a chance."

In the Entrance Hall, Snape had stopped.

"What do you want?" James asked flatly, trying his best not to antagonise him.

"Leave her alone," Snape snarled.

"I beg your pardon?"

"Lily. I know she spent the night in your bed. I overheard her and McKinnon talking."

"If Lily Evans wants to spend the night in my bed then she's perfectly entitled to," James said loudly, unable to stop himself. "And I'll be docking house points for listening to other people's private conversations."

"You don't deserve her," Snape spat.

"And you do?"

Snape didn't bother with his wand. He launched himself at James and knocked him to the floor.

"What's going on?" Lily asked, coming through the door, slightly under the thirty seconds that Sirius had advised.

"He started it!" James said, his nose bleeding.

"Liar," Snape hissed, clutching his left arm in pain.

Lily strode over to him, and yanked up his sleeve. There, plain as day, was the Dark Mark. She let go of his arm, horrified.

"Lily -" he began, but she cut him off.

"Get away from me," she hissed.

He did as he was told.

James' nose had finally stopped bleeding. "We should go and see Dumbledore and tell him about the Mark."

Lily nodded, and they left for the headmaster's office.

"Hogsmeade?" Sirius asked.

"Merlin yes," Marley grinned.

* * *

Several hours later, Sirius and Marley returned to the Gryffindor common room, Sirius carrying all of Marley's shopping, which James found highly amusing.

"Merlin, Padfoot, you're whipped aren't you?"

"Shut it, Prongs," Sirius said with a grin, dropping the bags in a pile on the floor.

"Oi, watch it, my new shoes are in there!" Marley said crossly.

"I don't get why you bought them Marls, you can't walk in them," Sirius said, flopping into a chair and pulling her down to sit on his lap.

"They're gorgeous, that's why I bought them."

"Doesn't change the fact that you can't walk in them."

"I have you to hold me up, idiot."

"You know, if you weren't sat on his lap, I'd say you've gone back to normal," Alice said cheekily.

Marley made to stand up, but Sirius grabbed her waist and pulled her back down. "No. You're not escaping from me twice in one day."

"I didn't escape earlier, Lily had a genuine emergency that I had to help with."

"Which was?"

"Gossip."

"I hadn't finished talking to you before James and Sirius interrupted," Lily said. "But this bit is for everyone really."

They all stared at her.

"Professor McGonagall says that the sixth and seventh years are having a Christmas ball."

"Excellent, a chance to wear my new shoes," Marley said, grinning.

"You're going to make me go with you, aren't you?" Sirius asked, slightly amused.

"Yep. I think you'd look hot in a suit."

"I'd rather wear a suit than dress robes."

"That's why I said suit," Marley said slyly. "Besides, it's easier to get off when I'm drunk."

"Ah, McKinnon, you know me too well."

"We have that prefects meeting," James reminded Lily and Remus, and they made to leave.

"I'll go and put my stuff away," Marley said, giving a meaningful look to Alice and Mary, and they helped her take it up to the girls' dormitory.

"Did she tell you?" Marley asked as soon as the door was closed.

"Yeah," Mary said.

"She definitely fancies James," Alice added. "She's just in denial."

"I told her this morning that I was willing to bet all the money in my vault that she'd get together with James by the end of the year," Marley said.

"You're that sure?"

"I'm so sure that I'd cheer for Gryffindor naked at their next Quidditch match."

"Oh McKinnon, I'd _love _to see that," Sirius said, appearing at the window.

"Oi! Stop listening to our conversations!"

"I thought you were talking about me, but this sounds much more interesting." Sirius climbed into the room.

"Do you have anything useful to add or are you just going to blackmail us all later?" Mary asked.

"I'm hurt that you'd think I'd blackmail you with this information, MacDonald. As it happens, I have a plan."

The girls waited for him to share it.

"I need to talk to Marley on her own first."

Alice and Mary left the room, looking suspicious.

"You don't have a plan at all, do you?" Marley laughed.

"Oh I do. The first bit involves shagging you senseless."

"It sounds like an excellent plan," Marley said, before Sirius bent down to kiss her.

He lifted her up, and carried her over to her bed, before laying her down and pulling the curtains around them.

"God McKinnon, why do you have to be so gorgeous?" Sirius muttered while he undressed her.

"Shut up and do me, Black."

Sirius slowed down, teasing her. He kissed her neck while letting her pull off his t shirt. He continued down her body, aiming only to please. Her fingers wove into his hair when he found the spot that she liked.

Her moans spurred him on, and as he surfaced for breath, his hands continued the work. She grabbed him and pulled him back towards her. He kissed her full on the lips, his tongue gently pushing its way in, and their hips moved in synchronisation.

* * *

"Are they still up there?" Lily, James and Remus had returned an hour after Alice and Mary had left the dormitory.

Peter nodded.

"How did Sirius get in there anyway?" Lily asked.

"The roof," Alice said.

"Shall we wait for them or just go down to dinner?"

"I think they've been munching on each other, if you catch my drift," James smirked.

"James! That's disgusting!" Lily looked appalled that he could think such a thing.

"And that image has put me _right _off my dinner," Remus said.

Shouts and moans drifted down the stairs.

"Please can we go?" Mary asked, and everyone that was left in the common room exited pretty quickly.

They'd been in the Great Hall for twenty minutes before Sirius and Marley joined them, feigning innocence.

"What took you so long?" James said, smirking.

"Marley's shoes," Sirius pointed at her feet. She was wearing leopard print platform shoes. "I had to carry her."

"At least I look great," Marley smiled smugly.

"You can't walk! And you're nearly as tall as me in them!"

"Well on the plus side I have a nice strong bloke to carry me around," Marley teased.

"You two after sex are absolutely unbearable," James said. "Please don't do it again. _Ever._"

"How did you know that's what we were doing?" Sirius asked, winking at Marley.

"We heard you, seven floors down," Mary said sullenly. "And you were up there for nearly an hour and a half."

"Well, time flies when you're having fun," Sirius said with a cheeky smile, and Marley kicked him under the table. "What? It was a compliment!"


	4. Chapter 4

At the beginning of December, spirits in the school were flying high. Gryffindor had beaten Slytherin in the first Quidditch game of the season, and the Christmas ball was fast approaching. The seventh years were currently stood outside of the greenhouses waiting for Herbology.

"Merlin, I'm freezing," Marley said, and Sirius opened his cloak to allow her inside. "How are you never cold?"

Sirius shrugged, wrapping his arms around her. For once, she'd dressed appropriately for the weather. Warming charms only did so much.

"Alright everybody, inside!" Professor Sprout finally opened the door to Greenhouse Seven. Everyone was seated in alphabetical order in this class, and Sirius made a face at Marley as he sat down next to Amelia Bones.

Marley grinned back smugly. She had the very good fortune of being able to sit next to Mary. They carried on working on their Flutterby bush; neither of them liked getting their hands dirty, but Herbology was an easy NEWT. Marley looked over towards Lily, who had a patient look on her face as she listened to whatever Amos Diggory was telling her.

About halfway through the double period, Marley stiffened as she overheard Amelia talking to Sirius.

"Are you going to the Christmas ball with anyone, Black?" she asked.

"Well, I'm going with Marley, seeing as she's my girlfriend and all."

"Oh, ok. I was going to ask you to go with me, but whatever."

"Aren't you going out with Diggory?"

"No," she snapped. "Diggory's a prat. Anyway, I thought you were into _real _girls."

Real girls? What the hell did that mean?

"Last time I looked, Marley was definitely a girl," Sirius said, aware of where the conversation was headed and flashing Marley a "help me" look, which she didn't see because she was too busy glaring at Amelia Bones.

"Yeah, a _fake _girl. Her skirt's always short and she wears so much make up she's practically orange."

"I do _not _look orange, do I?" Marley said bluntly to Mary.

"We'd tell you if you were orange, Marls."

"She's not orange!" Sirius said, "And I like her short skirt."

"Of course you do, you're a bloke."

As it happened, Marley was actually wearing trousers today because it was so cold.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Sirius snapped.

"Oh come on. You never liked her before. You used to spend all your time arguing. Then you realised that she has boobs and legs."

"Just so you know," Sirius said, gritting his teeth. "I like Marley for who she is, _not _what she looks like."

Amelia snorted. "Yeah, right."

Marley couldn't take any more. It was almost the end of the lesson anyway. She packed away her things and stormed out.

"Marley!" Sirius called and ran after her.

"There's no need to be such a bitch about her, you know," Mary said to Amelia coldly. "She's actually a very lovely girl."

"Marley!" Sirius called again, once he was outside, and he spotted her leaning against the castle, smoking. She turned to him, tears splashing down her face.

"Come on Marley, who the hell cares what Amelia sodding Bones thinks?" he said, pulling her into a cuddle.

"I wish I didn't," Marley said bitterly. "She just got to me, you know? I might come across as confident and a bit of a bitch sometimes but I'm still insecure about the way I look."

"Marley, you couldn't be a bitch even if you tried," Sirius reassured her, kissing her forehead.

"She's right though, we always used to fight."

"Yeah, remember why? The broom cupboard in fifth year?"

Marley smiled, glad that they still had some secrets that were only theirs. "I guess everyone just got so used to us arguing to cover up what we were doing that they only noticed when we started being nice to each other."

"Every girlfriend I've had since the beginning of fifth year I've cheated on with you. I used to get so angry at you for it that I never really stopped to consider why it always happened until now."

"You're not doing a very good job of cheering me up, Black."

"I haven't finished yet! I mean, you're Marlene McKinnon. Of course I've always had a thing for you."

Marley smiled. "I dumped Diggory before the summer holidays because of you."

"And I chucked Amelia because I realised I'm absolutely sodding crazy about you, McKinnon."

Marley flicked away her cigarette and reached up to kiss him.

"Marley... I think I love you."

"God, you're such an idiot, Black," Marley smiled under his lips.

"Good job I know that's Marley speak for 'I love you too'," Sirius grinned back, grabbing her hand and lacing his fingers around hers.

"Yeah, I suppose I do. It doesn't stop you being an idiot though."

* * *

The next day, the four girls had their hair and nails done in Hogsmeade and were in their dormitory putting make up on each other.

"Marley, Sirius is going to go mad when he sees you," Mary told her.

Marley, ever subtle, was wearing a skintight red leather dress, and her favourite leopard print platform shoes. The dress barely skimmed her thighs.

"What's your secret?" Alice asked, gesturing to her chest.

"Levitating charms," Marley smirked, covering Lily's face with foundation.

"Oi!" James shouted up the stairs, and Alice went to see what he wanted.

"They'll meet us down there, apparently we're taking too long," she smiled.

"Lily, if James doesn't ask you out tonight, I'm a flobberworm," Marley grinned, finally letting her look in the mirror.

She was wearing a long, deep green dress that complimented her eyes. Marley had expertly highlighted the features of her face without going too over the top.

"Oh Lily, you look absolutely gorgeous," Mary gushed.

The four of them made their way to the Great Hall. The rest of their group was waiting for them by the hourglasses that held the house points. Their reactions were quite different.

Peter's jaw dropped open at the sight of them. Remus tried not to stare anywhere that was offensive. Frank smiled and put his arm around Alice. James blinked and stammered at Lily. Sirius' eyes nearly popped out of his head when he saw Marley.

Mary took Remus and Peter's arms. She was wearing a simple, elegant black dress that complimented her dark hair. "You can both be my dates tonight, boys!" she said, taking them into the Great Hall, Frank and Alice following them, holding hands.

Sirius recovered before James did. "Come on Marls," he said cheerfully, picking her up and throwing her over his shoulder as she squealed.

Lily looked at James, noticing first how handsome he looked in his dress robes, but quickly getting concerned that he hadn't said anything for nearly three minutes.

"James, are you alright?"

"I'm fine," he said hoarsely. "I just... er... you look really beautiful."

"Better than Marley?"

"Miles better than Marley."

Lily smiled, and James was caught off guard again.

"Shall we go in?" she asked, and he nodded.

As well as the usual twelve Christmas trees that stood in the Great Hall, candles were floating, providing mood lighting and holly, ivy and mistletoe hung was strewn around the walls. Their friends were sat at a small table with several drinks in front of them, however, when James made his way towards them, Lily took his arm and tugged him away.

"Let's dance," she suggested. She didn't know where this new found confidence had come from. A slow song was drifting out of the magical gramophone, and James grasped Lily's hands in his as they slowly twirled.

"What are you looking at?" he murmured to Lily.

"Sirius and Marley."

James looked over to his best friend and his cousin. Sirius' arm was draped casually over Marley's chair as they laughed with the Remus, Peter and Mary. To an outsider looking in, who didn't know them, it was obvious that they cared about each other in an understated way, even though they'd been behaving the same way since the beginning of the summer. James shook his head. He wondered how he'd missed it, having spent every day with them.

"They're perfect together, aren't they?" James said to Lily.

She smiled in response. "In a weird way, they are."

Her eyes became fixed on something over his head. "What?" he asked.

"Mistletoe," she whispered, her face unreadable.

James looked right into her green eyes, debating for a second whether to do it. If he did it and she didn't want to, then they'd be right where they were at the end of last year. If he didn't do it and she did want to, she'd be hurt.

One little kiss couldn't hurt.

Their friends burst into cheers as their lips met.

"Pay up!" Peter cackled and Sirius grumbled.

Lily smiled under James' lips. "Shall we go somewhere more private?"

The two of them left the Great Hall.

Sirius and Marley and Remus and Mary got up to dance after several shots of Firewhisky. Peter watched his friends glumly. He felt like everyone had someone, apart from him.

"Marley, you're drunk," Sirius said, as he pulled her into a close slow dance.

"Shhhhh," she said, her chocolate eyes wide, and Sirius gave a bark of laughter.

Peter wasn't the only person watching Marley and Sirius dance. In a corner, far away from anyone else, stood Regulus Black.

He knew that they were together, he knew before anyone else had. Before they themselves even knew. They were two beautiful people; they had looks, charisma, charm...

Sirius was the black sheep of the family. Although he was the most hated, he also commanded the most attention. Even now, after he'd been gone for a year. Their whole family was focused on how they could punish him further.

Regulus just wanted to leave Sirius alone. He hated the attention that he still received. He only had a few moments of praise from his family after he'd joined the Dark Lord's army, before they went back to plotting against Sirius.

He watched the couple laugh together. Regulus could tell from the way that he looked at her that he really loved her. Perhaps she was the key to his misery.

Outside, in the enchanted grove full of snow and fairies that had been bewitched to stay warm, James had sat down on a swing seat with Lily.

"Lily, I know I said I wasn't going to do this again, but..."

"I know, James. I think I understand now. I feel the same way."

James smiled. "Really?"

"Yes. You've grown up a lot recently, and I've really enjoyed your company. I think I'm ready for something more now, if that's what you want."

"Lily, that's what I've wanted for years!" James exclaimed.

Lily smiled at the look on his face. Making him happy had been worth it.

James slipped his hand back into hers. "So we're a couple then? Properly?"

"Yes, I'd like that."

James smiled hugely. "I wonder if Dumbledore knew when he made us Head Boy and Girl."

"'Head' sounds about right," came the smug voice of Sirius, as he pulled Marley outside.

"Oi. Occupied," James glared at his friend.

"Now now James, sharing is caring," Marley slurred, somehow managing to almost trip over while Sirius held her up.

"She's off her face."

"I'm not far behind," Sirius grinned, his eyes lighting up. He could always hold himself together a bit better than Marley ever could.

"Sirius," Marley whispered, reaching up to his ear. "Let's go to bed, while the dormitory's quiet..."

As quick as a flash, Sirius had thrown her over his shoulder again. "You might want to give us a couple of hours," he smirked, before carrying her off.

Lily laughed at the look on James' face. "I bet they were doing that all summer and you didn't have a clue."

"I _really _don't want to think about it," James grimaced. "My best friend and my cousin. Urgh! What if they end up married? I'll never get rid of Sirius then!"

"I don't think either of them are the marrying type," Lily replied.

"We didn't think they'd ever get together either, but then it happened," James said. "They're both so bloody unpredictable, I don't think we can guess what'll happen with them in the future."

Lily chewed her lip. "Imagine how awful it'd be if they broke up."

"There's never be another minute of peace in the common room, they'd be at each other's throats constantly," James agreed. "Merlin, we have to keep them together."

"It's dark," Marley commented as they reached the seventh floor. "_Lumos._"

Her wand tip didn't light up as it was supposed to. Sirius tried too.

"Crap," he muttered. He could only just see Marley's outline in the darkness, and he pulled her closer to try and keep her safe. "Who d'you reckon did this?"

"Snape," she whispered. "Or maybe..."

"No," Sirius said roughly. "He wouldn't dare."

Marley was silent for a minute. "Let's keep moving."

Sirius tried his best to remember where the Fat Lady's portrait was, but drunk as he was, it wasn't easy.

"Fuck," Marley swore as she fell over, and then Sirius tripped over her.

Marley started giggling weakly.

"This isn't funny Marls!"

"We could have sex right here, no one would _dare _to mess with us then."

"Get your mind out of the gutter, McKinnon," Sirius said, smiling, reaching down to kiss her.

"That's my nose you idiot."

"I can't see you! How was I supposed to know?"

An idea sprang into Marley's head. She pushed Sirius off her and sat up. She'd never managed this particular spell before, but she was confident that she could now. She closed her eyes, and concentrated on just how happy she was at that particular moment.

"_Expecto patronum_," she whispered, and something shot out of her wand, lighting up the hallway.

"Marley!" Sirius exclaimed, shocked. "I didn't know your patronus was a dog like mine!"

"Neither did I," she grinned, opening her eyes. It had worked. Her patronus was lighting up the hallway enough to guide them back to the common room.

Sirius pulled Marley up and they moved quickly towards the Fat Lady. They told her the password and were safe in the common room.

"What the hell was that?" Marley asked Sirius.

"I don't know, but it can't have been anything good."

Sirius looked down at his girlfriend, who'd wrapped her arms around his waist. He was tense, but she was relaxing him. No one else had been able to do that, ever.

"Hey Marley?"

"Hmm?"

"You look really hot in that dress."

She smirked, took his hand and led him up to his bed.

* * *

"Marley?"

"What?"

"No one else has come to bed yet. Are we really boring?"

"Probably," Marley yawned. "Now shut up, I want to go to sleep."

Sirius smiled into her blonde curls.

The door opened, and Peter and Remus came in.

"No luck tonight then boys?" Marley asked, her eyes closed.

Peter shook his head, and Remus smiled. "Life isn't all about sex, Marley."

"It is if you're going out with Sirius Black."

"Oi," Sirius protested sleepily. "You weren't complaining earlier. And I bet I could keep my hands off you if I put my mind to it."

"Yeah, right," Marley snorted.

James came bounding in, followed by Frank.

"Hello, my lovely chums," James slurred, kissing Peter sloppily on the cheek. "And Marley."

"Fuck off Potter, I'm your cousin, you're supposed to love me more than them."

"Where's Lily?" Remus asked.

"I just left her at the foot of the stairs," James beamed. "We're going out now!"

"Is she drunk?" Sirius asked. "Wormtail, our bet doesn't count if she was drunk when she said yes."

"She wasn't drunk then, but she is now."

Marley sat up. "I _have _to see Lily drunk." She scrambled out of bed and towards the window, and the rest of the group followed her across the roof.

"Marley!" Lily chirped happily, sat on the end of her bed. "I missed you."

"I heard you're drunk," Marley smirked.

"She is," Mary said, trying to hide her smile. "Our Head Girl is _drunk_."

Sirius clapped James on the shoulder. "I'm so proud of you, mate."

"We should have a sleepover!" Lily exclaimed, her green eyes massive. The group dragged all the mattresses off the beds and climbed on. There was plenty of room for all of them. One by one, they fell asleep whilst the rest of them chatted.

"Oh _God_," were the first words out of Lily's mouth when she woke up.

"Morning beautiful," James whispered in reply.

"My head," Lily whimpered as she sat up.

"It's called a hangover Lily. Get used to it," Marley muttered from across the room. Somehow (Lily didn't want to think too much about it), the mattress she'd been sharing with Sirius had separated itself from the rest.

"Shall we go somewhere else?" James asked her quietly. Lily nodded, not being able to do much more than that, and she and James climbed out the window and headed over the roof towards the boys dormitories. They settled down in James' bed and went back to sleep.

Meanwhile, in the girls' dormitories, everyone except Marley was asleep. Sirius was close to waking up, but not quite getting there.

Marley glanced at the others. They seemed flat out, like they'd be asleep for hours. She decided to risk it.

She disappeared under the covers and kissed Sirius gently, waking him up.

"Marley?"

"Shut up, you'll wake everyone else up."

Sirius gently brushed Marley's hair out of her face, his fingers tightening around her curls as her tongue moved faster and faster.

"Marley, stop, I'm going to come," he moaned as quietly as he could.

"That's the general idea," she muttered as she paused for breath.

He took advantage of her stopping and pushed her off, pulling his boxers back up and heading to the bathroom, dragging her with him.

The shower came on, and their clothes disappeared. Sirius picked Marley up and pushed her against the wall of the shower.

"I love you," he muttered as she tightened her legs around his hips. She could do nothing but gasp in response as he began to move against her.

"Fuck. Me. Harder," she growled in his ear as the water rained down on their heads. He obliged, and she gave a very loud moan that he knew the others would hear if they were awake.

"Let's leave," Remus suggested, as they heard Sirius and Marley in the bathroom. He, Peter, Alice, Frank and Mary headed down to breakfast, where none of them ate much, partly from the killer hangovers that they all had, and partly from the fact that Sirius and Marley had been louder than they thought and had put them off everything forever.

"Train home tomorrow," Mary said aloud to no one in particular.

The others grunted without enthusiasm. Christmas had lost its novelty. Especially Christmas during a war.

"I fucking hate Christmas," Marley said as she sat down next to Mary.

"Done already?" Mary asked sourly.

"Oh God, did you hear us?"

"_Yes_," Remus said, as Sirius sat next to him. "It wasn't the nicest way to wake up to a hangover."

"Sorry mate," Sirius smirked, not looking sorry at all. "She surprised me."

The group kept themselves in quiet places during the day, usually the dormitories, packing and napping.

The next day, when they'd all recovered, they boarded the red train from Hogsmeade station to London King's Cross.

"I can't believe I won't see you until Christmas day," Sirius muttered to Marley as they said goodbye on the platform.

Marley made a face in response and Sirius laughed. "My parents are... well not as bad as yours, but I'm not the model Ravenclaw prefect with straight O's and a clean record."

"McKinnon, I wouldn't even be interested in you if you were," Sirius said cheerfully. "Aren't they coming to pick you up?"

Marley shook her head. "I'm apparating straight home."

"How bloody rude of them. If I hadn't seen my gorgeous daughter for half the year I'd make sure I'd see her at the first opportunity."

Marley smiled, and reached up to kiss Sirius goodbye, apparating away halfway through the kiss, leaving Sirius looking very stupid with his eyes closed and his tongue poking out his mouth. James immediately took to making fun of him while his mother told him off.

"You wouldn't be laughing if Lily did that," Sirius said bitterly.

"Lily wouldn't dare."

"James, you have a girlfriend?" his mother asked, very interested.

James rolled his eyes. "Cheers, Padfoot."

Sirius smirked, as Mrs Potter began to lecture her son about safe sex.

"Mum, _please _stop talking," James begged her, while Sirius laughed. "Anyway, Sirius is worse, apparently yesterday morning he and Marley -"

Sirius elbowed him to get him to shut up as they passed through the barrier to Muggle London.

"Sirius!" Mrs Potter said, exasperated. "Do I have to give you this lecture as well?"

"Merlin, please don't," Sirius groaned, heading down their usual alleyway to apparate back to Godric's Hollow.


	5. Chapter 5

Christmas day arrived, and at about midday the doorbell (which James had enchanted to play Christmas carols) rang. Mr Potter opened the door, and bade hello to his sister, her husband and their children. Marley and her older brother Andrew had been forced into wearing dress robes for the occasion, and Marley looked absolutely murderous. Sirius burst into laughter as soon as he saw the look on her face.

"Shut up, Black," she snapped, her face clear of make up.

James actually did them a favour and engaged Andrew in Quidditch talk so that Sirius could talk to Marley.

"What's wrong?" he asked her, seriously, for once.

"They don't know about you, I haven't told them yet," she said nervously, fiddling with her hair. Her usual curls had been brushed completely straight, and Sirius noticed that she wasn't comfortable at all.

"Is that all?" he asked, knowing her far too well.

"No! I fucking hate my clothes, my bitch of a mother took my make up off me, saying I looked like a harlot, I'm not allowed to swear and I was dragged out of bed at five this morning to go to church!"

"Good job you left half your crap here after the summer then," Sirius smirked, pulling a small black pencil out of his pocket.

"Oh Sirius, I fucking love you," Marley grinned, walking across the room to the mirror. She did her make up so well that her mother probably wouldn't notice that she was even wearing it.

"Oi, you're not supposed to be wearing that," Andrew called from the sofa.

"Yeah, and you're not supposed to be bringing random girls home to shag but that didn't stop you last night."

"She's not _random_," Andrew insisted. "I've been seeing her for a few weeks. I'd have taken her back to my own flat but Mum fucking insisted that I stay over Christmas."

"Dinner's ready!" Mrs Potter shouted through the house.

James jumped up. "Good, I'm starving."

Eight plates were set around the dining room table, which was only used for special occasions. Marley's mother tried to get her to sit in between Andrew and James but Sirius casually slipped in and squeezed her hand under the table.

"James, I understand you're Head Boy this year," Mrs McKinnon began. Marley, knowing where this conversation was headed, stabbed her turkey. Sirius' fingers brushed against the back of her hand under the table, calming her slightly.

"Yeah," James said, swallowing a large mouthful of food.

"It would've been nice to see Marlene as Head Girl."

"Mum, I told you, there was never going to be anyone other than Lily as Head Girl," Marley said through gritted teeth.

"Yes dear, but Andrew was Head Boy and prefect and in Ravenclaw -"

"And he's bloody perfect in every single way and I'm not," Marley finished the sentence for her.

"I didn't say that, Marlene. You're so dramatic about things."

Marley just glared at her plate. James saved her by asking Andrew how his auror training was going.

"It's great! There's this one auror, Alastor Moody, he has one leg but he doesn't let that stop him, he's quicker than the rest of the aurors, and amazing at non verbal spells."

"Aw Drew, you sound like you're about to wet your pants with excitement," Marley smirked.

"Marlene, your brother's name is _Andrew_," her mother scolded her, yet again.

"He likes Drew, I like Drew, so I'll call him Drew, thanks," Marley scowled at her, brown eyes meeting the same stubborn brown.

"I do prefer Drew," Drew said gently to his mother, brushing his dark hair out of his eyes.

"Oh come on Eve, it's Christmas, your kids can't be that bad!" Mr Potter tried to lighten the mood.

Marley added some more food to her plate.

"Marlene, do you want to end up as big as you were before?"

"Oh for _fuck's _sake," Marley burst out. "I can't do anything right, can I? Maybe I'll just fuck off and leave you to the rest of your perfect sodding family."

"I don't understand something," Sirius cut in. "Marley's not fat. She never has been. Why are you pushing her?"

Mrs Potter hid a smile behind her mug. She'd always wanted to tell her sister in law off for the way she treated her daughter.

Mrs McKinnon turned her eyes onto Sirius. "Marlene only has her looks to get by in life. Her school marks won't get her anywhere else."

"She's not stupid, you know," Sirius said, his anger rising. "She's actually pretty damn clever, one of the best in our year. If you even _knew _her you'd see that she's actually amazing. She's clever, kind, won't take any shit and pretty normal, seeing as she has a mother like you."

"Charles!" she said, turning to her husband. "Are you going to let him speak to me like that?"

"Hmm?" Marley's father looked up, clearly having paid no attention to the conversation. "Lovely dinner, Carol."

"Thank you, Charles," Mrs Potter smiled warmly. "I'm sorry Eve, I must ask you not to aggravate my son in our home."

Sirius felt a rush of warmth hearing Mrs Potter refer to him as her son.

"I don't see what business it is of his how I speak to my daughter," Mrs McKinnon replied coldly.

Sirius stood up. "I'm her fucking boyfriend, so it's completely my business if the woman I love is miserable."

Marley smiled, despite the fact that Christmas dinner was being ruined.

"Boyfriend?" Mrs McKinnon glared at Marley. "Marlene, you know my feelings about boys."

"Yeah well, I don't really give a fuck what you think." Marley pushed her plate away and stood up. "I'm leaving now. I won't be coming back home. Bye."

Sirius followed her out of the room and up to James' bedroom. "Where are you going?"

"Fuck knows. Probably the Leaky Cauldron for a bit. They'll expect me to stay here." She took Floo powder and threw it into the fireplace, and went back to her parents' house for the last time.

She stepped out of the fireplace in her bedroom, Sirius behind her.

"Oh my _God_. I know you didn't decorate this."

The room was pink and frilly and everything Marley despised. Sirius spotted a photograph on top of a dresser, and took a closer look while Marley packed her trunk.

It was a picture taken at the end of sixth year on platform 9 ¾. At the time, Lily had been glaring at James, who'd tried to sneak his arm around her, Sirius had his arms around Peter and Remus with a dopey grin, and Marley and Mary were stood next to Remus. At the other end, next to Lily and James, were Frank and Alice, looking perfectly loved up. The people in the photograph had moved now. Frank and Alice were still the same. Lily looked happy with James wrapped around her, and Sirius and Marley were together next to them. Remus had his arms around Peter and Mary.

"Oh fuck, I have too many clothes," Marley complained, sitting on her trunk to try and close it.

"I never thought I'd hear you say that," Sirius joked.

* * *

"Marley? How are you going to afford to stay at the Leaky Cauldron for two more weeks?"

"It's not expensive, Sirius."

"Haven't your parents cut you off?"

"I've had my own vault since I was fifteen and I realised that I was nothing like them and I'd probably be moving out as soon as I became of age."

Marley and Sirius were laying on the double bed in the cheapest room that the Leaky Cauldron offered. Marley had made herself comfortable as soon as possible by peeling off the ridiculous dress robes and pulling on a pair of jeans and Sirius' t shirt. As a result, Sirius now had no top on, and Marley definitely wasn't complaining.

"Oi!" James' voice came from a small handheld mirror on the bedside table. "Are you there?"

"Yeah," Sirius said, picking it up and looking into it. "Merlin, when did I turn into a scrawny specky git?"

"Hilarious. Where are you?"

"You'll never find out," Sirius winked.

James rolled his eyes. "Marley's parents are gone now. Mum _really _laid into them."

"Good," Marley said. "We're at the Leaky Cauldron."

"And I'll be coming to get some of my stuff in a bit, unless you fancy bringing it," Sirius said.

"Padfoot, I'm hurt that you'd rather spend your holidays with my cousin than me."

"She has boobs," Sirius said.

"Speaking of boobs, where's your top? Merlin, please don't tell me I interrupted anything."

Marley laughed. "We're not as ridiculously horny as you make us out to be, James."

"If I bring your stuff now will you promise not to be shagging by the time I get there?"

"Ah, you know I can't promise that. She jumps me when I'm least expecting it," Sirius said. "OW! Don't hit me!"

"I do _not _jump you," Marley muttered. "Most of the time when we have sex it's _your _idea."

"I'm leaving now," James said, and he disappeared. Two minutes later they heard him coming up the stairs.

"Is it safe to come in?"

Marley pulled the door open and stuck her tongue out at him.

"How long are you staying here?" James asked her.

Marley shrugged. "I'll probably start looking for a flat in a couple of days."

"Oh. That reminds me," James said. "My parents said that you can have money and stuff if you need it, they don't mind. They offered you a bedroom but they didn't think you'd want it, seeing as your parents will be expecting that."

"I did think about it," Marley said, "But I think it's time for me to live on my own. Fuck, you know how much I can't stand other people."

"Hey," Sirius said indignantly from the bed.

"Except you, darling," Marley flashed him a grin.

"That's more like it," Sirius smirked.

"I'm leaving before you two start having sex in front of me," James said, dumping Sirius' trunk in the middle of the room and making a quick exit.

"Marley?"

"Yes Sirius?"

"Why don't we look for a flat together?"

Marley collapsed onto his trunk, shocked. "What?"

"Come on. You spend every night in my bed anyway, or I'm in yours. We have all the same lessons, we spend _all _our time together. We both hate our parents," he joked. "And if we lived together, _we wouldn't have to be quiet_."

"I suppose it makes sense when you put it like that," Marley said. "Fuck it. Fine. Let's live together. But if you get me pregnant, I swear to Merlin I'll castrate you."


	6. Chapter 6

A week later, Marley and Sirius were wandering through Diagon Alley towards their new flat when a large black motorbike caught Sirius' eye. Marley saw it and rolled hers.

A red headed man was talking to the salesman, a short, dopy looking bloke who smelled of alcohol.

"All fixed up then Arthur?"

"Yes Dung, I had quite a job hiding it from Molly."

"Oi," Sirius called. "How much for the bike?"

"Fifty galleons."

The red haired man spluttered. "It's _not _worth that, Dung. Give the poor lad a chance."

"I'll give you twenty," Sirius said.

"Done," the salesman said, and dropped the keys into Sirius' hand.

The red headed man took Sirius aside. "I didn't tell Dung because I didn't want him to rip you off, but the bike flies."

Sirius grinned. "Even better. Come on Marley."

"I'm not getting on that thing. You'll kill me."

Sirius' grin widened. "Would I do such a thing?"

Marley hopped on behind Sirius and placed her arms around his waist.

"Hold on," he said, and started the engine.

"Sirius, _please _don't kill me," Marley whispered in his ear. Sirius revved the engine in response, and shot off towards their new flat.

"I'll apparate in future," Marley said weakly, staggering through the front door after Sirius had parked.

"Don't be stupid Marley, that was fun!"

"You're a dick."

"You love me really."

"Sometimes."

"_All _the time."

"Will you two stop acting like a bloody old married couple for two seconds?"

Marley and Sirius' heads snapped up towards the voice floating out of the living room, and James appeared.

"Sirius just tried to kill me with his shiny new motorbike," Marley said sourly.

"What's a motorbike?"

Sirius took James outside to show him.

"OH MY GOD THAT'S SO AWESOME!" James shouted. "Please let me borrow it for Quidditch."

"No," Sirius said as they came back inside. "I'm not finished scaring Marley with it."

"I'll haunt the crap out of you if you kill me with that thing, Black."

"Your mum came back today," James said, nodding at Marley.

"And I wasn't there. Oh dear. What a shame," Marley replied sarcastically.

"She had a go at Lily for being Head Girl instead of you."

"That's rude. Is Lily ok?"

"Lily can stand up for herself, remember?"

Marley smirked. "I wish I'd seen that."

"She wanted to know what you wanted her to do with your stuff."

"I have all my stuff here. I went and took everything."

James shrugged. "I guess she meant the pink nightmare that's your bedroom."

"She can burn the entire sodding house down for all I care."

James grinned. He loved his rebellious cousin. He flopped into a seat. "She thinks Sirius is a bad influence on you."

"He is," Marley grinned.

"You love it, McKinnon," Sirius replied.

"I got a five minute lecture of how nasty and rude "that Black" is before Dad heard and hit the roof."

"Oh, I didn't mean to make your parents fall out with my mum," Marley said, panicking slightly.

"Well she shouldn't be such an idiot, should she?" James said. "I can't believe your dad lets her get away with everything she says."

"I think he gave up years ago," Marley said.

"She could give my mother a run for her money," Sirius muttered.

"_No one_ is as bad as your mother," Marley said flatly.

"I bet they both make a scene on the platform tomorrow," Sirius smiled. "That'll be entertaining."

* * *

Marley and Sirius couldn't resist dressing to wind their parents up. Marley opted for a short leather skirt, low cut top, her leopard print platform shoes and Sirius' leather jacket. Sirius wore black jeans and a black hoody. His hair was getting fairly long, just tickling his chin, but Marley wouldn't let him cut it. They apparated from their flat straight to the platform, and levitated their trunks onto the train. Marley pulled cigarettes out of Sirius' jacket pocket and lit one.

"MARLENE MCKINNON, WHAT ON EARTH ARE YOU DOING?"

Marley gave Sirius a mischievous look before turning to face her mother.

"What did he do to you Marlene? You used to be such a good girl."

James arrived at that point and cracked up laughing with Sirius. Marley had never been a "good girl".

"He's a Black, Marlene! They're bad news!"

James almost collapsed, wheezing with laughter as Marley simply smirked.

"I think you'll find that he's no son of mine," a woman's voice said coldly.

Marley looked up. This must be Walburga Black. She looked like she used to be good looking, and she was immensely proud, looking down her nose at them. Stood slightly behind her, looking at his feet, was Regulus.

"Your son has ruined my daughter!"

"Mother," Sirius said loudly. "This is Marley. We've been shagging on and off since fifth year. She's a blood traitor like me. We're living in sin right now, and it's fucking fantastic."

"Watch it, that's my favourite cousin you're talking about there," James said, finally getting a grip on himself.

"Marlene!" Marley's mother looked absolutely shocked. "Tell me that's not true."

"We've been having pretty mind blowing sex for the last two years, Mother," Marley said. "Oh, and I wasn't a virgin when we first slept together either."

The whistle blew and the teenagers hopped onto the train, laughing. Sirius pulled Marley into his arms and kissed her passionately, mainly to wind their parents up but also just because he wanted to.

Marley wiped tears of laughter from her eyes as the train sped away from London. "That was so worth it."

Sirius grabbed a stray curl and tucked it behind her ear as she attempted to regain some composure. James made a face and left to find the rest of their friends. Regulus had disappeared.

"I love you Marley," Sirius said quietly, his lips barely an inch away from hers.

Marley smiled into his lips as he pressed them gently to hers. She'd never admit it, but she actually quite liked it when he was sensitive with her. "I love you too. Now let's move before someone sees us being soppy twats."

Sirius grinned at her, before taking her hand and wrapping his fingers round hers. They walked down the train, looking into various compartments before finding their friends.

James had Lily sitting on his lap. Remus was reading a book, curled in the corner near the window. Peter was chatting with Frank, Alice and Mary. Only when Sirius and Marley came in was their family really complete.

"I'm sure she didn't mean it, Lily," James was saying.

"Who said what and can I punch them?" Marley asked as she sat down opposite them.

"Petunia said I should go and get myself killed in the war," Lily sniffed, trying to hold back tears and shaking with anger at the same time.

"Bitch," Marley muttered. "What actually happened?"

"Well, I was explaining to my parents that since I'll be eighteen this month, I won't be coming back home again, because it's too dangerous for them to be near me. Snape already knows where I live and he's a Death Eater now. Muggles and mudbloods will be at the top of their list."

"Don't call yourself that," James said gently. "You're the most brilliant witch I know."

"Petunia kicked off," Lily continued, ignoring James. "Saying that I was the only one who could protect them and I was leaving them defenceless, and that if I really wanted to abandon them I should just go and get myself blown up, and it'd be good riddance."

Everyone had started listening by that point. Alice had gasped out loud.

"What did your parents say?" Mary asked.

"If I felt it was the right thing to do, then I should do it. But Petunia's always hated what I am."

"It's hard not to hate you Lily," Marley began, and Lily shot her a hurt look. "No, wait, hear me out. You're bloody perfect, you're a brilliant witch, Head Girl, you've had James chasing you for sodding seven years, and you have us, and we're pretty awesome. Oh yeah, and you're bloody stunning to boot. I hate you sometimes, to be honest."

Lily smiled through her tears. "You're one to talk, Marley. Everyone knows you're the most beautiful girl at Hogwarts."

"I have to second that," Sirius said, squeezing her hand and smirking.

"Hell no, Lily all the way," James shook his head.

"The point is," Mary cut in. "We're all outcasts. Why shouldn't we die fighting for what we believe in? I'd rather go that way than sit around hiding from Voldemort."

Peter nodded in agreement.

"See Dumbledore as soon as we get back, and tell him that," James said. "Trust me."

"Is this where you've all been going every so often?" Mary asked.

"Can't say," Marley cut in. "Trust us, we're on the right side. Who in their right mind would go up against Dumbledore?"

"All my bloody inbred cousins, apparently," Sirius muttered darkly.

Marley shook her head. "They're not your family. Family doesn't do what they did."

"Neither are yours, in that case."

"My mother might be a bit mental, but I never got tortured."

"You never told me that!" James gasped.

Sirius sighed. "Bellatrix was always my mother's favourite. She was teaching Regulus the Cruciatus curse... and I was the dummy. I had enough after that. I just left in the middle of the night. They didn't even try to contact me to get me to come home. Today was the first time I've seen my mother in two years."

"Why did you tell her and not me?" James demanded.

"I didn't tell her, she saw. Things changed that day anyway."

_It was a cold January morning and a sixteen year old Marley was stomping up the stairs to the boys dormitories, looking for James. Only one person was present when the door banged open, and Marley didn't much care that he was asleep._

"_Black. Black!" she shouted, shaking him awake._

_Sirius shot up, wincing and clutching his side. "What the fuck, McKinnon?"_

"_Where's James?"_

"_I don't know, I'm not his bloody mother!"_

_Marley noticed his expression. Teeth gritted, trying to act tough._

"_What's wrong?"_

"_Nothing."_

_Marley simply raised an eyebrow. "Let me see."_

"_Piss off, McKinnon."_

_She ripped the duvet cover off his bed, exposing his pyjama bottoms and naked torso._

"_Fucking hell Black! What happened?"_

"_Nothing."_

"_That isn't nothing. That's twelve inches long and it's been bleeding on your sheets."_

_Sirius sighed. "Don't say a word to anyone, not even James."_

"_Fine."_

"_Bellatrix... was teaching Regulus how to torture someone."_

_Sirius watched Marley's expression go from concern to fury._

"_I assume she didn't just use the Cruciatus curse. That doesn't make you bleed."_

"_No."_

"_So what was it?"_

"_Apparently Bellatrix likes using traditional forms of torture as a warm up."_

"_Was this the day you left?"_

_Sirius nodded._

"_Why didn't you tell us?"_

"_That's a cheerful conversation. Hi Mr and Mrs Potter, I hope you don't mind me gatecrashing your Christmas dinner but Bellatrix rammed a six inch knife into my ribs and taught my brother the Cruciatus curse so I ran away. That doesn't sound fucking melodramatic at all."_

"_Sirius, this is serious."_

_Sirius began to chuckle, before wincing again. "Marley, don't make me laugh."_

"_It's a terrible joke and it's never ever been funny."_

"_Shut it McKinnon, I'm hilarious."_

_Marley smirked. "I'm guessing it's a waste of time taking you to the Hospital Wing then."_

"_Yep."_

_Marley rolled her eyes, and strode over to James' bed and into his cupboard, where he kept his first aid kit for Quidditch injuries._

"_This might sting a bit," she said, before pouring a couple of drops of liquid onto Sirius' wound. He bit his lip, but didn't make a sound. The scar disappeared. Sirius could move without wincing._

"_Thanks," he muttered, not quite meeting her eyes. Marley shrugged in response._

_Sirius sat up and moved so that he was next to her. "No, seriously... thanks."_

"_Don't mention it," Marley mumbled, looking at her feet. When she looked back up, Sirius was gazing at her intensely. Suddenly he leaned in, and his lips were on hers._

_She kissed him back for a few minutes until she remembered where she was. "Black! What the fuck are you doing?"_

"_Shit! I didn't mean for that to happen," Sirius responded with heat._

_Marley narrowed her eyes. "It never happened."_

_Sirius smirked suddenly, pulling her back towards him. "Then you won't mind it not happening again."_

"_Fucking hell Black. At least you're a good kisser."_


	7. Chapter 7

Life returned to normal at Hogwarts. Marley and Sirius continued to spend their evenings on the roof in between their dormitories. Lily watched them from James' bed one evening, and shook her head.

"What?" James asked.

"I can't believe we missed it before. They obviously love each other so much."

James looked over to his best friend and his cousin, giggling away, his arm wrapped around her waist, his other hand pinching a cigarette from Marley's hand.

"Lily, they were screaming at each other every day. They hated each other. Or they acted like they did."

"All this time they were hiding it from us."

"They were hiding it from themselves," James said, brushing Lily's hair back from her face. "You of all people should know what that's like."

"Oh shut up."

James smirked at Lily's response. "Remember our last Potions lesson in fifth year?"

_The fifth year Gryffindors were queuing with the Slytherins in the dungeons, waiting for their lesson to begin. Lily was talking quietly to Snape, James watching jealously. Sirius, Remus and Peter were laughing. Alice and Frank were cheerfully holding hands and Mary and Marley were talking to a Ravenclaw seventh year. Sirius spotted Marley joking with the guy and narrowed his eyes. The Potions Master opened the door and the students filed in._

"_Who the fuck is that?" Sirius grabbed Marley and pulled her aside as they entered._

"_My brother."_

"_I didn't know you had a brother."_

"_You don't know me at all, Black."_

_Marley marched off to the store cupboard to grab ingredients, and Sirius followed her._

"_Hands off my arse, Black. Don't you have a girlfriend?"_

"_Chucked her this morning," Sirius said casually. "I was bored of her."_

"_I'm not surprised, she was a stupid bint."_

_The door to the store cupboard closed, and Marley flicked on the light. Sirius turned it off again._

"_Black!"_

_He leaned down and kissed her in the dark. She slapped him away._

"_Not here. Or ever again."_

"_Yeah yeah McKinnon. You say that every time."_

"_Ugh! I fucking hate you, Black," Marley shouted as she opened the door. Everyone in the classroom stared at her as she made her way back to her seat, next to Lily and opposite Snape._

"_What did he do?" she asked Marley._

"_He's an arrogant prick."_

"_Just like Potter then."_

"_I know he's my cousin and all, but yeah, I hate the pair of them."_

"_Oh come on Marley, you love me really," James grinned, leaning on the back legs of his chair at the next table._

_Marley stood up, walked behind James, and kicked his chair legs so they collapsed and he fell over._

"_Ow," James said, rubbing his back as they all laughed at him, including Sirius._

"_Nice one McKinnon," he smirked._

"_Piss off, Black."_

"_I just paid you a sodding compliment."_

"_I didn't want one."_

"_Take what you get given, Marley."_

"_I get given plenty of compliments, I don't want them from a prick like you."_

_Everyone was now so used to their arguments that they just returned to their work._

"_Fucking hell McKinnon, I'm just trying to be nice."_

_Marley laughed. "You've never been nice. It doesn't suit you. Give it up. Just be a wanker as usual."_

* * *

"That was them on a good day," Lily laughed. "Remember after the first Quidditch match last year?"

"_No. You're wrong," Marley said flatly._

"_I'm definitely not wrong," Sirius replied stubbornly. "Ludo Bagman got kicked off the Wasps team because he was shit."_

"_You are wrong on so many levels of wrongness, Black. He got kicked off because he's an arse."_

"_No."_

"_Yes."_

"_No."_

"_Yes."_

"_NO."_

"_YES BLACK. GIVE IT UP."_

"_NEVER MCKINNON. I'M ALWAYS RIGHT."_

_Marley screamed in frustration. "You're such a pig, Black!"_

"_You're one to talk."_

_A red jet erupted from Marley's wand and narrowly missed Sirius' head._

"_Are you trying to hex me McKinnon?"_

"_YES!" Marley screamed in response. "YOU PISS ME OFF SO BLOODY MUCH, BLACK."_

"_STOP IT!" James cried dramatically, jumping in between them. "Actually, carry on. This is bloody funny."_

"_Potter!" Lily shouted. "They're going to end up duelling! Someone could get hurt!"_

_Sirius looked up. "Actually Evans, that's not a bad idea."_

"_Sirius, you are not duelling with Marley," Remus said, crossing his arms. "I have a better idea. Come on."_

_Sirius and Marley followed Remus out of the common room and across the corridor to the Room of Requirement._

"_Give me your wands."_

"_You're joking, right?"_

_Remus raised an eyebrow and Marley sighed, surrendering her wand._

"_I'm going to lock you in. The Room will unlock itself when you can get along."_

"_I hate you, Remus," Marley said as the door closed and the lock clicked._

"_You hate everyone, Marley," Remus chuckled._

_Sirius sat on the floor, leaning against the door._

_Marley sighed and sat next to him. "Get on with it then."_

"_Excuse me?"_

"_I'm right and you're wrong, so you should apologise."_

"_On your broom, McKinnon."_

"_Do you think anyone knows?" Marley asked hesitantly._

"_No."_

"_We should stop."_

"_But we're good, McKinnon."_

"_Yeah, but outside the bedroom we absolutely hate each other."_

_Sirius chuckled, and leaned over to kiss her._

"_What are you doing?"_

"_Remus said the room unlocks when we start to get on. I'm getting it on."_

_Marley couldn't help but laugh before he kissed her again._

"_Protection?" she gasped, when they surfaced for air._

"_Oh. Er. I don't have any. Shall we risk it?"_

"_Do it or I'll hex you."_

"_Empty threat McKinnon," Sirius growled into her ear. "But I don't need telling twice."_

* * *

"That was average," James laughed. "Remember just before we left for Christmas?"

"_I need to talk to you," Marley said to Sirius grumpily at breakfast._

"_What did he do now?" James asked curiously._

"_What didn't he do," Marley muttered._

_Sirius followed her out of the Great Hall. "What did I actually do?"_

"_I'm late."_

"_Pardon?"_

"_Sirius, I'm LATE."_

"_How...?"_

"_Well, when a boy meets a girl and they have sex..."_

"_Alright! Is it definitely me that did it?"_

"_I'm not that much of a slag, Sirius."_

"_Well actually Marley..."_

"_I AM NOT A SLAG BLACK!"_

_People drifting in and out of the Great Hall turned to watch them._

"_I just want to be sure," Sirius said coolly._

"_Well I'm sure that it's definitely you that did it."_

"_Did what?" Remus asked, as he, James and Peter came out of the Great Hall._

"_Slipped dungbombs into our dorm," Marley lied._

"_Nice one, Pads," James said, trying to high five Sirius._

"_Give us a minute," Sirius said, and the boys left them._

"_Come back to me when you're certain if you are," Sirius hissed at her._

"_I'm not going to get checked on my own!" Marley snapped, her face flushing._

_Sirius smirked. "Are you scared, McKinnon?"_

"_Aren't you?"_

"_Not really. To be honest I could just push you down the stairs and that'll take care of it."_

"_You're disgusting Black," Marley snapped, before turning on her heel and walking off._

_Sirius sighed, and gave her five seconds before catching up to her. "Sorry."_

"_You bloody should be, it's your fault."_

"_I'll come. I'll make sure we won't get caught."_

"_How?"_

"_Just trust me."_

* * *

"What are you gossiping about?" Marley asked as she slid through the window.

"You two," James smirked.

"What about us?" Sirius jumped off the windowsill.

"Just how you hated each other because you didn't want us to find out you were shagging."

"I bet you'd be embarrassed if you were shagging him, James," Marley smirked.

"Sirius and I share a love that doesn't need public expression," James replied, grinning.

"Yeah but everyone knows anyway," Lily laughed. "Oi!"

Sirius had dive bombed James' bed.

"I love you James," he said, snuggling into him. "Leave Lily for me, and I'll leave Marley."

"I could never say no to you, Sirius," James grinned.

"Lily, let's go to bed and leave them to their bromance," Marley suggested.

Sirius then jumped up and tackled her to the ground.

"No. You're spending the night here. I'm sick of not being able to sleep."

"You're so whipped," Marley smiled.

"Only for you."

"Please shut up and go to bed before I vomit," James said.

"I'll second that," Lily yawned. "Night James."

"Awww Lily, don't leave me alone with them!"

"The others will be up soon."

"I think he means he wants you to stay in his bed," Marley said, getting up and into Sirius' bed.

Lily returned to James. "No sex," she warned Sirius and Marley.

"Likewise," Sirius yawned, before settling down to cuddle Marley.

A little while later, Frank came up with Alice, and Peter and Remus entered.

"Oh Merlin, it's couples night," Peter grimaced. "What do you say, Moony? Fancy a spoon?"

"Definitely, Wormtail darling," Remus grinned. "Shall we go and keep dearest Mary company?"

"Ooh, a threesome, how exciting!" Peter actually sounded excited.

"A threesome with two guys is _not_ one you want," Sirius mumbled.

"How would you know?" James smirked.

"Just a guess."

"It's not a guess," Marley grinned.

"You're talking rubbish, Marley," Sirius said. "Now shut up and go to sleep."

"Sorry, baby."

"Urgh, I'm definitely leaving," Peter said, climbing up to the window and across the roof, Remus following.


	8. Chapter 8

"Marley."

"Go away."

"Marley," Lily was trying to shake her awake. "Sirius, wake her up."

"No."

"Sirius, we're late for Herbology."

"I don't care. Go away Lily."

"_Aguamenti_."

Marley sat bolt upright as an ice cold jet of water hit her in the face. "That was mean, Lily!"

"Herbology. Ten minutes," Lily narrowed her eyes at the pair of them, before turning to leave.

Sirius sat up and started pulling on his uniform. Marley followed suit, and they ran out of the dormitory and down the secret passages. They barely made it on time.

"I'm so glad you could join us, Miss McKinnon, Mr Black," Professor Sprout said dryly.

"Marley, I need to talk to you," Mary said anxiously as she sat down.

"Go on."

Mary looked around before whispering to her. "I think I like Remus."

"Really?"

Mary nodded. "Don't tell anyone, not even Sirius."

"I won't."

"I ended up holding hands with him in bed last night."

"Really?!"

"Don't look so excited, Marls."

"But it's so cute! Now we just need to find someone for Peter!" Marley squealed.

"Ah. Peter."

"What?"

"Well, he was spooning me when I woke up, and... er..."

"He had a boner," Marley said bluntly.

"Yeah."

"Don't take it personally, Mary. You're a girl. He's a guy. You shared a bed. That's what happens."

Sirius appeared in front of them.

"I missed you," he grinned at Marley before kissing her full on the lips.

"Bones pissing you off that much?" Mary asked sarcastically.

"Can I hex her?" Marley asked.

"Much as I love a bit of girl on girl, I think Sprout might notice if her favourite student got hexed."

* * *

_Throughout their sixth year, it became common to see Sirius and Marley wrapped around a different person every week. By the time the summer rolled around, Sirius was seeing Amelia Bones, and Marley was dating Amos Diggory. The night before they were due to leave Hogwarts for the holidays, Marley and Sirius were ensconced in a broom closet on the third floor._

"_We really need to stop this," Marley said breathlessly._

"_Shut up McKinnon."_

"_Someone's going to get hurt," Marley stopped, pulling her face away from Sirius'._

"_Are you going to let me fuck you or not?!" Sirius demanded._

"_No," Marley said. "Fucking hell Black, are we going to keep doing this? We each have a new significant other every sodding week and we end up shagging each other instead of them."_

"_As well as," Sirius corrected her. "Don't think I don't know what you were doing with Diggory the other night in the prefect's bathroom."_

"_How did you know I was in there?!" Marley demanded._

"_I have my ways, McKinnon. I can't stand him, anyway."_

"_Neither can I," Marley sighed. "I'm thinking of chucking him. He wants to hold hands all the time and tell me how much he likes me. Besides, I think I like someone else anyway."_

"_Who?" Sirius demanded._

"_Are you jealous, Black?"_

"_No," Sirius huffed._

"_You're a crap liar."_

"_I am but I don't know why. It must be the lack of sex. Can we have it now?"_

"_Black, do you have feelings for me?"_

"_You're joking McKinnon, I can't stand you."_

"_Sirius."_

_Sirius looked into her eyes in response._

"_There's a reason we keep doing this."_

_And with that, Marley left him on his own._

_Sirius sat on the floor for a few minutes, trying to gather his thoughts._

_Was he jealous that Marley liked someone else? Someone that wasn't him?_

_It hit him then._

"_Oh crap," he muttered to himself. "Sodding Marlene McKinnon."_

_He stood up, and headed for the Great Hall, where he knew everyone would be eating dinner._

"_Hey baby," Amelia purred as soon as he walked in. "Come and join us."_

"_I need to talk to you," Sirius said abruptly. "Now."_

"_What's wrong baby?" Amelia asked as they left the Great Hall._

"_It's over," Sirius said harshly._

"_What?"_

"_It's over," he repeated._

"_Why?"_

"_I cheated on you."_

"_YOU BASTARD!" Amelia hurled insults at him for ten minutes as other students, including Marley, watched. Sirius spotted Diggory next to her, trying to take her hand, and she kept pulling it away._

"_Piss off, Diggory," Marley snarled eventually. "I don't want to hold your fucking hand."_

_Sirius smirked, ignoring Amelia's ranting. She was now a violent shade of scarlet._

"_Sorry," Diggory snapped. "I was under the impression that you're my girlfriend."_

"_Not anymore," Marley said suddenly._

"_Fine."_

_Marley walked off. Sirius left Amelia shouting in the middle of the Entrance Hall and followed her up the marble staircase._

"_Can we have that shag now?" he asked cheekily. Marley responded by pushing him into a suit of armour._

"_That was mean," he grumbled, picking himself up off the floor._

"_Sorry. Yeah, whatever."_

"_You could sound more enthusiastic."_

"_We're in public and we've both just chucked someone. I think it's a good idea if no one finds out," Marley muttered._

_Sirius pulled her into an empty classroom. "Try and be more enthusiastic now."_

_Marley grinned, pulling him towards her by his tie and reaching up to kiss him. He responded by wrapping his arms around her waist._

_After five minutes, Marley pulled away. "What's wrong?" she asked suspiciously._

"_Nothing, why?"_

"_You've not tried to undress me yet."_

"_So?"_

"_That's not normal, Black."_

"_I was enjoying kissing you McKinnon. Is that a crime?"_

"_Fucking hell Black. You do like me."_

"_What's not to like?"_

_Marley smiled, a real smile, and reached up to kiss him gently._

"_So that guy you like..."_

"_It's you, you idiot."_

* * *

"Come here," Marley grinned, pulling him down for a proper kiss and wrapping her hands around his neck.

"Urgh," Mary complained. "James, make them stop!"

James and Peter looked up from the row behind. "Oi!" James shouted, throwing a pair of pruning shears at Sirius.

Sirius pulled away from Marley, grinning. "I'll miss you baby!" he shouted cheekily, returning to his seat.

"Ha, Bones looks like she could murder you," Mary laughed to Marley, who waved at Amelia in response, before standing up.

"That last two years have been absolutely wonderful, darling," she shouted to Sirius. "I love you."

The Gryffindors in the class couldn't help but crack up laughing.

"Two years?!" Amelia squeaked, alarmed. "Did you cheat on me with _her_?!"

"I prefer to think of it as trying to deny my feelings for her," Sirius said warmly, and Amelia stormed out as the bell rang.

"Marley," Diggory called from behind her as they filed out of the greenhouse.

She turned, her hand in Sirius'.

"If you and Black were together when... does that mean...?"

"Yes," Sirius said loudly.

"Urgh. That makes two girls I've gone out with that are obsessed with you, Black."

"What?"

"Amelia dumped me because she wanted you back," Diggory explained.

"That bitch isn't going anywhere near him," Marley snarled.

"Well... it's just a friendly warning," Diggory nodded. "I have no hard feelings towards you."

"Bloody Hufflepuff," Marley muttered as he walked away, and Sirius grinned, wrapping his arm around her waist.

"That doesn't look good," James said as he joined them, pointing in the distance.

They followed his gaze, and spotted Amelia talking to a dark haired sixth year.

"Regulus," Sirius muttered, irritated. "That definitely can't be anything good."

* * *

"I don't know about this, Black," Amelia said, chewing her lip.

"Trust me, he told me himself. He's getting tired of McKinnon. She's high maintenance, possessive and demanding."

"Why should I trust you?" Amelia narrowed her eyes.

"Because I love my brother," Regulus whispered emotionally. "Even though he left me in that shithole, I can't blame him. I just want him to be happy. And he's not happy with her."

"Alright, fine."

"I secured the love potion, I just need something of yours to go in it. Hair will do."

Amelia reached up and detached a few strands from her head.

"Thanks. I'll get it to him at lunch." Regulus strode off towards the castle, heading towards the kitchens.

"Kreacher?" he asked, and with a loud crack, his house elf appeared.

"Master Regulus," Kreacher croaked, bowing low.

"Get this into Sirius' food," Regulus ordered, handing him a vial.

"Anything to get revenge on Master Sirius," Kreacher said nastily. "Blood traitor and scum that he is."

"Tell Mother that it'll be done by this evening," Regulus said.

Kreacher bowed again. "Kreacher will pass on Master Regulus' message for Mistress."


	9. Chapter 9

Sirius frowned at his sandwich.

"What's wrong?" Marley asked him.

"I dunno, I just feel a bit weird."

"Weird how?"

Sirius shook his head. "It's probably nothing."

Ten minutes passed, in which Sirius abandoned his sandwich and gazed at nothing in particular.

Marley waved a hand in front of his face. "Oi. Earth to Sirius!"

"Hmmm?"

"You're spacing out. Have you taken anything?"

"No," Sirius said. "I don't know what's wrong with me. I just feel really... odd."

"Maybe I should take you to the Hospital Wing," Marley said, alarmed.

"No, I'm sure I'm fine." Sirius stood up to leave for Muggle Studies.

"Alright. I'll see you in the common room later," Marley pecked his cheek before he left.

"Hey Sirius, wait!" someone called from behind him on the fifth floor.

He turned, and Amelia Bones was walking towards him.

"Look, sorry about earlier," she began, but Sirius cut her off.

"It's fine."

"Are you ok? You look a bit weird."

"I feel a bit weird, to be honest."

"I want us to be friends, Sirius. You can talk to me if you need to."

"Ok." Sirius went back to his usual brooding self.

"Is everything alright with McKinnon?"

"Of course it is. Why wouldn't it be?"

"Rumours," Amelia said shortly, before they entered the classroom.

"What rumours?"

"Just that you're getting bored of her."

Sirius stopped her. "Where did you hear that?"

Amelia flushed before muttering something that Sirius didn't catch.

"What?"

"Your brother."

"You listen to me," Sirius said roughly. "It's not true. I love Marley to bits. We live together, for fuck's sake. I wouldn't move in with her if I didn't love her. I'm definitely not bored of her. I don't know what game Regulus is playing but _don't _believe a word he says. Understand?"

Amelia nodded, embarrassed that she hadn't seen through it.

"Have you done something different with your hair?" Sirius asked suddenly.

"What?" Amelia replied, caught off guard, before remembering the love potion.

"Your hair. It looks... nice," Sirius said.

Lily walked into the classroom and took her usual spot on Sirius' other side.

"Lily!" Amelia exclaimed loudly. "I think Sirius has been drugged."

"Hmmm, Marley said the same thing just a minute ago," Lily frowned. "Come on Sirius, I'm taking you to the Hospital Wing."

"I feel _fine_," Sirius insisted. "Your eyes are really green, you know that Lily?"

Amelia hissed in Lily's ear as she went past. "Regulus told me it was a love potion specifically designed for me but now I'm not sure."

Lily nodded. "I won't tell Marley, I promise."

"Wow, Lily, they're like emeralds."

"Yes, thank you, Sirius," Lily muttered. "Where the hell is James when you need him?"

"James!" Sirius enthused. "I love James. He's practically my brother, you know."

"Yes, I know. Sirius, what the hell have you taken?"

"I haven't taken anything."

They'd reached the stairs to the floor below.

"Sirius, I don't trust you not to fall down the stairs, so I'm going to hold you up, ok?"

Sirius didn't say anything so Lily grabbed his arm and pulled it around her shoulder.

"Oi! Hands off, Black!"

"Sorry! I didn't mean to touch you there!"

"Sirius? Lily?" A voice they recognised called up the stairs.

"Peter?" Lily called back.

"What's wrong with Sirius?" Peter asked, as they came into view.

"He's been drugged."

"Wormtail! I missed you."

"What are you doing out here anyway, Peter?" Lily interrupted Sirius.

"I was late for History of Magic..." Peter's voice trailed off. "Need a hand?"

"Oh Merlin, yes."

Between them, they managed to carry Sirius to the Hospital Wing, as his legs had now completely given up.

"Madam Pomfrey, you're looking gorgeous as always," Sirius beamed as he was dragged through the door.

"How can you tell he's been drugged?" Peter muttered to Lily, who grinned in response.

"What happened?" she asked, ignoring Sirius, and Lily told her.

Lily pulled a mirror out of Sirius' pocket when he wasn't looking.

"How d'you know about that?" Peter gasped.

"I'm not stupid, Peter!" Lily said. "James, are you there?"

"Lily!" James replied straightaway. "Why do you have Sirius' mirror?"

"It's a long story. We're in the Hospital Wing. Bring Marley."

"I'm on my way," James promised, before disappearing.

Ten minutes later, Sirius was strapped to a bed and James and Marley burst in.

"I _told _you," Marley muttered to Lily.

"Marley?" Sirius sounded normal, although a bit out of it.

"Aha!" Madam Pomfrey shouted. "It was a love potion, although a very badly brewed one."

"How can you tell?" Lily asked.

"Bad ones wear off as soon as someone the victim genuinely cares for enters the room."

"It was me, I knew it," James grinned, and Marley kicked him.

"You wish, Prongs," Sirius muttered, taking Marley's hand as he was unstrapped. "Urgh, my head. I feel like shit."

"I'll have to keep you here overnight for observation," Madam Pomfrey told him. "Only one visitor at a time."

"You lot bugger off, I'm not going anywhere," Marley said, sending them on their way. As soon as they left, she rounded on Sirius.

"Did you do anything bad?"

"I don't think so."

Sirius held her gaze, and eventually she sighed and curled into him. She always knew when he was lying.

"Marley?"

"Hmm?"

"I really love you, you know."

"I know."

"I've never been in love before."

"Me neither."

There was silence for a few minutes.

"Do you think it was Regulus who gave you a love potion?"

"Definitely."

"Why a love potion?"

"I have no idea. I'm going to find out though."

"Ok."

"Is that it? You're not going to try and stop me?"

"You won't listen to me anyway," Marley smiled.

* * *

"Regulus!" Sirius barked the next morning at breakfast. "A word."

Regulus followed him to the Entrance Hall, where he was surrounded by Gryffindor seventh years.

"Why did you give me a love potion?"

"I don't know what you're talking about," Regulus lied.

"You're a crap liar, Regulus."

"You left me all alone in that house, Sirius! I'm fucking miserable there!"

"What?" Sirius laughed. "They love you, you're the well behaved son, not a blood traitor."

"Bellatrix makes me practice duelling with her."

"Even though you're underage?" Lily interrupted.

Regulus nodded.

"So you're trying to make Sirius miserable too?" Marley snapped. "Him leaving had nothing to do with you. If you hate it so much, why don't you leave too?"

"They'll find me," Regulus whispered.

"No. You're just spinning a load of shit to get us to feel sorry for you," James said. "Leave Sirius alone, or you'll have to deal with us. _All _of us."

Regulus turned to leave.

"Oh, Black?" Marley called sweetly, and Regulus looked back.

Marley slapped him around the face with all the strength she had. "That's for trying to fuck up my relationship."

Sirius couldn't help but laugh. Marlene McKinnon was a firecracker. More than a firecracker, she was a firework, a whole bundle of them, waiting to spark and explode at any time.

* * *

"_Marley," Sirius whispered, just after two in the morning. "I think James has passed out."_

_James was face down on the sofa, his glasses pushed to the side of his face._

_Marley giggled. "I wish I had a camera. This is prime blackmail material."_

_Sirius took advantage of James' situation and sat on top of Marley on the other sofa, reaching down to kiss her gently._

"_You taste like Firewhisky. How much have you drank?"_

_Marley laughed in response. "I have no idea. How are you so sober?"_

"_Ah McKinnon. I can hold liquor better than you."_

"_Yeah right. Get off, you're crushing me."_

_Sirius flipped her so that they were both laying down, her on top of him. Marley settled her head into his chest, the way they'd fallen asleep together every night for the last three weeks._

"_I really like you, McKinnon," Sirius whispered into her blonde hair._

"_Shut up and go to sleep, Black."_

"_No, I want to ask you something."_

"_What?"_

"_Will you be my girlfriend? Properly?"_

"_If I say yes will you let me sleep?"_

"_It's debatable." Sirius kissed the top of her head._

"_Well I was never really going to say no, was I?"_

_A wild smile appeared on Sirius' face._

"_We should probably keep it to ourselves a bit longer though," Marley suggested, watching Sirius' face fall and giggling._

"_Hmmm. I wonder how long we can fool everyone," Sirius grinned, enjoying the challenge._


	10. Chapter 10

That evening, James was poring over brochures in the common room.

"Why are you looking at holidays in France?" Marley asked, throwing herself on the sofa next to him.

"There's no sodding war in France. I thought it'd be nice to get away for a bit."

"James, it's January. When exactly were you thinking of 'getting away'?"

James gave Marley a smug smile. "I've seen the seventh year exam timetable. We have three weeks off for Easter and two weeks of study leave before our NEWTs start. We definitely have time for a holiday."

Marley squealed and flattened James in a hug. "I love you Jamesie."

"Who said I was inviting you, McKinnon?"

"Oh, please James. Please please please be a pal. Let me go on holiday with you," Marley begged.

"Why exactly are you taking my girlfriend on holiday?" Sirius appeared with the other Marauders and Lily.

"I was _only _going to ask Lily," James said. "Marley invited herself along."

"If we all pitch in and get a six bedroomed place we can all go, James. We all need a holiday. For the love of Merlin though, no full moons," Remus said.

James sighed and flicked to the section of the brochure with more bedrooms.

"Oooh!" Marley exclaimed, looking over his shoulder. "That one! It's perfect!"

"Just because it's a two minute walk from the beach does not make it perfect, Marley."

"Six double bedrooms, James. Remus and Peter wouldn't have to share. They could even bring _girls _back."

"Look how much it costs Marley!"

"Split between nine of us that's barely sixty galleons each. It's a no brainer, James."

"No."

"James!" Everyone said in unison.

"_Fine! _It was supposed to be a romantic trip for me and Lily in Paris, but instead it's nine teenagers in a villa in the south of France. Urgh. I hate you guys."

* * *

Two months later, the nine teenagers were waiting for the Portkey at Marley and Sirius' flat. Lily had insisted on bringing her own personal library to revise from during the holiday.

"I hate Portkeys," Marley muttered as she landed on her arse. Sirius laughed and helped her up.

"Maybe you should've worn sensible shoes."

"Shut up Sirius, I'm on holiday. Besides, Lily fell over as well."

"I've never travelled by Portkey before," Lily muttered, going an alarming shade of green.

"Wow," Alice gasped, looking up at the villa.

They ran inside, and through the mansion, exploring every room.

"Shotgun our room!" Marley cried as she launched herself onto a bed with net curtains. The room was simply furnished, without too much fuss. "Oooh, the bedding's stuffed with Hippogriff feathers!"

Sirius leaned against the doorframe, watching Marley with a smile on his face. He loved it when she let go and was just herself.

"Oh God, this is perfect," Marley said, sitting up, and Sirius walked over to kiss her. "Let's stay here forever."

"I don't think the owners of this place would be too happy about that," Sirius smirked.

"Whatever. Squatters have rights."

"OH MY GOD THERE'S A POOL!" Mary screeched from the back doors. Sirius scooped Marley in his arms, and ran out of the French windows, jumping into the pool with all their clothes on.

Suddenly, all of them were in the pool, without a care in the world, splashing each other and shrieking.

"Marry me, Alice," Frank said suddenly, in front of everyone.

"What?"

"Marry me. I love you. Merlin only knows if we'll ever get another chance. Let's get married while we're here."

"Of course I will, you big lump!" Alice threw herself into Frank's arms and kissed him deeply.

"Oh, it's so perfect!" Lily squealed.

"I can't see Augusta being too happy about not going to her only son's wedding," Peter smiled.

The air was filled with congratulations, and after another ten minutes, they all got out of the pool to go and dry off, and explore the town. Alice put the boys in charge of venues and finding a minister who would marry them, and the girls went clothes shopping.

"Why do we get the hard work?" James had grumbled, before the girls had fixed him with a death glare.

"Do you have _any _idea how much hard work goes into finding the right dress?" Mary retorted.

After a couple of hours, they all met in the town centre. The boys had found a minister within the first half an hour, and had taken the time to go shopping for dress robes, knowing that the girls would kill them if they turned up to Frank and Alice's wedding in their usual attire. The boys led the girls to the town hall and introduced them to the minister, and were taken off to separate rooms to change.

Alice wore a simple, floaty gown, complimenting her short hair and pale skin.

"Will you do my make up, Marley?" she asked in a shaky voice. "I don't think I can."

Marley took care not to go too overboard. Alice was naturally beautiful, a smattering of freckles across her nose, and she used delicate shades to highlight her piercing blue eyes. Lily used her wand to curl Alice's short brown hair into loose waves, cutting across her cheekbones.

After Alice was ready, the other girls quickly changed and got themselves ready. James knocked on the door when the boys were ready to begin. He had four bunches of conjured flowers in his hands.

"Frank said they had to match your eyes," he said to Alice, quite clearly not understanding the concept of being romantic.

Frank was standing at the end of a short aisle with Peter, who was acting as best man. Remus and Mary went down first, followed by Sirius and Marley, and finally, Lily and James. Alice walked down last, alone, and shaking.

"Wow, Alice," Frank breathed, looking completely blown away.

"Dearly beloved," the minister began, a short balding man, with a thick French accent. "We are gathered here today to witness the union of Alice and Frank. Marriage is not a union to be entered into lightly, but with recent events, love is to be celebrated, as it may only last for a fleeting moment."

Frank began his vows. "Alice, I love you. I've always loved you, ever since we met on our first day at Hogwarts on the train. I always will love you. It doesn't matter what life throws at us, Voldemort, the Death Eaters, we can get through it, because we'll always have each other."

Tears were flowing freely down all the girls faces. Remus stood awkwardly, not knowing what to do. James put his arm around Lily and kissed her forehead. Sirius smiled at Marley and wiped her tears away.

Alice attempted to regain some composure. "Frank, I love you too. I swear to Merlin, God, the four founders, whoever else, that I will always love you and I'll always be by your side."

The minister stepped in. "Frank Longbottom, do you take this woman to be your wife, in sickness and in health, until death parts you?"

"Death won't part us Alice, I'm here to bug you forever," Frank grinned, a wild smile that infected everyone in the room.

"Alice Cooper, do you take this man to be your husband, in sickness and in health, until death parts you?"

"Definitely," Alice beamed.

"I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may now kiss!"

Everyone cheered as Frank took Alice in his arms, laughing, and bent down to kiss her.

* * *

"I could get used to this," Marley said, her eyes closed, lifting her face up to the evening sun.

"Me too," Sirius agreed, having stripped down to his boxers and watching her. They were alone, the others had wandered back to the villa, and Frank and Alice had taken a romantic stroll after the wedding. Marley was still in her deep blue dress, one of the flowers from the bouquet tucked into her blonde curls.

They were sat on the dock at the beach, their feet dangling in the sea. It was around seven or eight in the evening, Sirius couldn't tell. He'd lost track of time.

Marley laid her head on Sirius' shoulder. "Let's just stay here forever."

Sirius kissed her hair. "You know I would."

Giggling reached their ears, and they looked up, and saw Alice and Frank walking barefoot across the beach. Alice looked radiant, constantly smiling. Frank looked completely awed at how dazzling she was.

"She's so beautiful," Marley said.

"I don't think she holds a wand to you, McKinnon," Sirius teased. He got dressed and helped Marley up, and they followed the newlyweds back to the villa.

In the middle of the night, someone began to hammer on the front door. Nothing usually stirred Marley from her sleep, but this did.

"What the hell is going on?" Sirius demanded, grabbing his wand.

"Marley?" A man's voice shouted through the door. "It's me, Drew. Let me in!"

"How do I know it's really you?" Marley asked through the door.

"You hate olives. Your middle name is Lauren. We had a sister, she died when you were ten."

"Alright, alright!" Marley opened the door. "What's the matter?"

"Where's James?" Drew asked.

"I'm here," James appeared in his boxers, rubbing his eyes under his glasses.

"Sit down," Drew told him gently.

"Oh God," Lily said, emerging from hers and James' bedroom. "What's happened?"

"Tell me," James insisted, suddenly alert and awake.

"It's your parents... there was an attack. The Dark Mark... they're dead, James."

Lily gasped in horror. Marley felt numb. Sirius dropped onto the sofa beside her.

"No," James said, his voice shaking. "They can't be dead. They can't be."

"I'm sorry, James."

"NO," James roared. "THEY'RE NOT DEAD."

"James," Lily said gently.

Tears were falling from under James' glasses, and finally he collapsed onto the floor, shaking. Lily sat down beside him, and he buried his head into her shoulder.

Marley reached out to Sirius to squeeze his hand, but he jerked it away. Rather than being hurt, she knew to leave him alone for a few minutes.

_Drew was patrolling Godric's Hollow on a warm spring evening. The sun had just begun to set. He was hidden by a Disillusionment charm. All was quiet._

_Suddenly, the pink sky became black, and the Dark Mark appeared, a ghastly green against the flat black. Drew ran, as fast as he could, towards the place where it had been cast. Screams erupted from the houses around._

_No. It couldn't be. He knew that place. He spent summers and Christmases in that house._

_The front door was open, and he sprinted through it, looking for his aunt and uncle. They were still sitting on the sofa in the living room, frozen in position, wide eyed and shocked, but their bodies were cold, empty. Carol and John Potter._


	11. Chapter 11

After ten minutes, Marley decided to find Sirius. He was stood, brooding, by the pool.

She said nothing, and simply stood beside him. She knew what he was thinking.

"You have every right to mourn too," she told him quietly.

"They weren't my parents."

"They were as good as. Better than yours, actually."

Sirius pulled her close, his tears falling into her hair. "I can't imagine a world where they don't exist."

"I know," Marley whispered into his chest.

Sirius gradually stopped crying, and grew angry. "I can't believe they managed to taint Alice and Frank's wedding day with _this_."

"Was I stupid for thinking we were safe here?" Marley laughed bitterly.

"We all thought we were safe here," Remus said from the doorway. "Your brother's leaving."

Marley left to say goodbye to Drew, and Remus stepped outside. "We're going to have to go into hiding after we leave Hogwarts."

Sirius sighed. "I know. Fucking war."

"I can't even imagine how you and James must be feeling," Remus said quietly.

Everyone returned to their beds afterwards, but nobody slept that night. Sirius lay awake, staring at the net curtains around his and Marley's bed.

"Marls?"

Marley rolled over to face him.

"How come you never told me about your sister?"

Marley sighed. "I barely even knew her. She was at Hogwarts for most of my childhood and she'd just left when she was killed."

"Death Eaters?"

Marley nodded. "She was training to become an auror. She was the best trainee, apparently."

"Ravenclaw?"

"Of course."

"Is that why your mum's such a bitch?"

Marley smiled at Sirius' choice of words. "Probably. My dad stopped saying much after that, he just let her get on with it. He's totally dead inside. He adored my sister."

"What was her name?"

"Celeste." Sirius pulled a face, and Marley laughed. "I used to call her Celery. She always snacked on it, or carrot sticks."

"What did she look like?"

"Dark hair, brown eyes. I always thought she was glamorous... well stunning, really."

"So you're the only blonde then?" Sirius laughed.

"Yeah. My mum believes in the stereotype of dumb blonde."

"Really? I couldn't tell," Sirius said sarcastically, and Marley chuckled in response. Then they both remembered the events of the evening.

Sirius shifted so that he was laying on his side, facing Marley. "I don't know what I'd do without you, McKinnon. You should've been the one going to pieces, not me. Carol and John were your family, not mine."

"I honestly think Carol would slap you if she heard you saying that, you know she thought you were family too."

Sirius smiled. "Yeah, you're right." He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her closer, kissing her forehead. "We're each other's family now, aren't we?"

"You're stuck with me now, Black."

* * *

Their holiday was cut short by the drama and they returned home to support James and organise a funeral for Mr and Mrs Potter. After that, it was straight back to school for exams. They were holed up in the library for hours at a time, only emerging for meals.

The last NEWT exam was the Care of Magical Creatures practical, which took place at the end of May, on a full moon, in the Forbidden Forest.

"Wonderful," Marley grumbled to Sirius as they made their way down to the meeting point in the evening at Hagrid's hut. "Are you sure James can keep Remus in check?"

"He's had his potion, he'll be fine," Sirius answered her.

They joined the rest of the class, and the examiner moved to the front of the group.

"There are a number of injured creatures in the Forest. To pass this exam you must treat any that you come across. You must work alone. There are enchantments in place to keep you from going too deep into the Forest and from going too close to other students. You have two hours. Begin."

Marley chose to stick to the main path, lighting her wand and keeping her eyes peeled. She'd walked for twenty minutes when she realised that she hadn't seen any creatures at all. The Forest was eerily silent. Marley decided to keep going for a few more minutes, off the path this time.

She came across a unicorn, glowing a brilliant white in the darkness. Marley knelt down beside it, and began the routine they had been taught to check for injuries. She stopped as soon as she realised that the unicorn had no pulse, and wasn't breathing. It was cold. Marley stroked its mane. Silver blood was dripping out of a wound on its neck. She took her wand and severed a few of its tail hairs, to use as bandages on any other creatures she might come across.

A twig snapped behind her. Marley whirled around, raising her wand. At first she saw nothing, and then cloaked figures stepped out from behind the trees.

Her first thought was of dementors, but then she remembered that it was warm, and not completely silent. Death Eaters? It was possible. Marley silently erected a shield charm. One of the cloaked figures stood ahead of the rest, and as soon as it was a few feet away from Marley, lowered its hood.

They weren't Death Eaters.

Pale grey skin and black eyes, the creature snarled at her.

"Such a pretty girl."

Marley shot a stunning spell at it, but another grabbed her from behind, causing her to drop her wand. There was nothing else for it. Marley screamed as at least ten of the creatures advanced towards her.

* * *

Sirius was tending to an injured centaur when he heard a scream.

"Marley," he shouted, standing up and running towards where he heard her. It had to be her. She was the only girl taking this exam.

Blind panic took over and his body changed, shrinking down into the big black dog. He could run faster that way. He smelled blood, and his pace doubled. He shot through the trees, faster than he'd ever run before, and a clearing opened up in front of him. Creatures in cloaks were bent over something. He gave a threatening, feral snarl and they looked up, distracted. He could see what they were feeding on.

Blonde curly hair, matted with blood. Her eyes were closed, and she was deathly pale.

He heard hooves behind him, and smelled James' animagus form on the air, Remus padding along nearby. The Wolfsbane potion might make him tame, but threaten his friends and there'd be hell to pay.

Remus snarled, a true werewolf snarl, and the three of them launched themselves at the creatures. Many of them scattered and melted into the shadows, but three of them remained to fight. One each.

Sirius took the one that was closest to Marley's neck. It looked like the leader of the pack. He leaped at it, biting and snapping at whatever he could. Once it had been severely injured, it retreated, the others following.

Sirius transformed back, dropping to his knees beside Marley. James prodded his arm with his antlers, reminding him that it wasn't safe.

"Take Remus back to the Shack," Sirius muttered. "I'll get Marley out of here."

Sirius pocketed her wand as James and Remus left, which was laying a few feet away, and attempted to wake Marley up. His hands were soon covered in her blood.

"Marley, please wake up," he begged, and to his relief her brown eyes fluttered open. She reached a shaking hand up to stroke his face.

"Can you walk, or do you want me to carry you?" he murmured, kissing her bloody forehead, so very glad that she was alive.

"I can walk," she said faintly, getting up slowly, and stumbling.

"Marley?"

"I'm ok," she said, her voice even more faint. "Just dizzy."

He pulled her arm around his shoulder and took most of her weight. "You better not be dying on me, McKinnon."

She chuckled, and he was relieved to hear the sound. "I told you, you're stuck with me."

It was slow progress, but eventually, the trees began to thin. Professor Kettleburn, the examiner, and Hagrid were waiting for them.

"Where have you been?" Professor Kettleburn told them off. "You're well past the two hour limit!"

"'Old on, Silvanus," Hagrid said. "Marley's hurt. I'll take 'er, Sirius."

"I've got her," Sirius snapped, lifting her up when it became apparent that she couldn't walk any further. Marley's eyes rolled back into her head as she passed out again.

"Please don't die, Marley," Sirius begged her unconscious form as he took her up to the castle, where Madam Pomfrey was waiting with a stretcher, and Professor Dumbledore.

"What happened?" he asked urgently.

"Vampires, I think," Sirius said, with the familiar X ray feeling that came from the headmaster's eyes.

"Hmmmm," the professor agreed, deep in thought.

In almost no time, they'd arrived at the Hospital Wing.

"Out," Madam Pomfrey snapped at Sirius.

"She's my only family," he snarled back at her, refusing to move.

Professor Dumbledore nodded, allowing him to stay, before leaving himself. James burst in not long afterwards.

"_Out!_" Madam Pomfrey sounded exasperated.

"She's my only family!" James echoed Sirius' words.

Marley's injuries turned out to be less severe than they looked. She had a few broken ribs, her wrist was completely smashed and her collarbone had cracked. She had to take a blood replenishing potion twice a day for a week after she woke up and Madam Pomfrey had managed to prevent any scarring. Sirius and James stayed by her side all night. Finally, in the morning, she woke up.

"Oh bloody hell," she moaned, as Sirius and James piled onto her.

"Don't scare me like that again, McKinnon," Sirius muttered into her hair.

"Sorry," she grinned, stroking his hair with her bandaged hand.


	12. Chapter 12

Marley was in the Hospital Wing for two weeks after her attack, and the day after she was released, it was time to pack and go home.

"Fuck, I can't believe we're done already," she said to Lily, Alice and Mary, as they sat sunning themselves by the lake, making the most of their freedom while they still had it.

"I know," Mary agreed. "It seems like yesterday we were in our first ever lesson."

_The four Gryffindor girls headed to the first floor for Transfiguration, their first lesson, taught by the head of their house, Professor McGonagall. They were nervous, and excited. They were joined on the way by the five Gryffindor boys. Alice smiled at Frank, who seemed the shyest of the bunch. James tried to speak to Lily, who only seemed intent on ignoring him. Giving up, he turned his attention to Marley._

"_Hey Marls! Guys this is my cousin, Marlene. This is Frank, Peter, Remus and Sirius."_

_Frank nodded at her. Peter gave a small smile, as did Remus. Sirius just looked at her._

"_James," Marley said crossly. "Do not use my proper name, unless you want your genitals attached to your head."_

_The girls giggled at Marley's comment and even Sirius cracked a smile._

_The door to the classroom opened by itself and they filed in. For the first year, most classes were divided by house, so it was just the nine of them. They sat at their desks, suddenly all nervous._

"_Good morning. I am Professor McGonagall. I will be teaching you Transfiguration, and I am also head of Gryffindor house. I will not tolerate any misbehaviour in my classroom. I expect you to be silent at all times unless otherwise indicated."_

"_Sirius Black."_

"_Yes."_

"_Alice Cooper."_

"_Yes, professor."_

"_Lily Evans."_

"_Yes, professor."_

"_Frank Longbottom."_

"_Yes, professor."_

"_Remus Lupin."_

"_Yes."_

"_Mary MacDonald."_

"_Yes, professor."_

"_Marlene McKinnon."_

"_Yes."_

"_Peter Pettigrew."_

"_Yes, professor."_

"_James Potter."_

"_Yes."_

"_This is a rather small year group for my house," Professor McGonagall stated. "But no matter. This will give me more time to properly assess each of you."_

_Marley shot James a worried look. Assess? Was there going to be a test already?_

"_Relax, Miss McKinnon. I just mean that I will be able to observe you more closely."_

_Professor McGonagall began teaching them some basic spells, and let them practice. Only Lily was the only one to do the spell perfectly by the end of the lesson. The others gathered around her._

"_That was brilliant, Lily!"_

"_Thanks," Lily smiled. "I was worried I'd be the worst in the class because I'm muggle-born."_

"_That's rubbish," Sirius said loudly. "Don't think like that, Evans. No one here has an advantage."_

_Marley stared at him, not quite sure if she was brave enough to demand an explanation from someone she'd met an hour ago._

"_Sorry," he muttered, looking sheepish. "My family all think that pure bloods are better than everyone else, and it's a load of crap."_

"_Well, the Blacks are infamous for being nutters," James said cheerfully, and Sirius gave him a grimace in response._

_His name suddenly registered in Marley's head and her eyes widened in shock. A Black, in Gryffindor!_

"_Don't judge me, McKinnon," Sirius growled, noticing her expression. "I'm not the only one to break tradition here."_

"_I'm not judging you!" Marley's temper sparked quickly, as it always did. "I'm just surprised, that's all."_

"_Surprised. That's judging, McKinnon. You expected me to be a slimy git like everyone else in my family."_

"_Yeah, because you didn't expect me to be a goody two shoes clever little shit like everyone else in mine," Marley replied, her voice heavy with sarcasm._

_Sirius smiled, and offered her his hand to shake. "Truce?"_

_Marley grinned too. "Yeah."_

"God," Lily said. "You and Sirius. Me and James. Whoever knew?"

"What about me and Frank?" Alice asked indignantly.

"We expected that from halfway through first year," Mary replied, smiling. "And Lily, we knew James would wear you down eventually."

"Marley and Sirius though!" Lily protested.

"Yeah, none of us expected that," Alice said.

"Neither did I," Marley confessed. "You have no idea how glad I am to be past the 'we're just having sex and really not playing games with each other' stage."

"He's totally smitten with you," Mary said. "I've never seen him like that with a girl before."

She was right. Sirius had never even so much as argued with Marley since they'd been going out, at least not in public. Whenever she was around he had a smile on his face.

"No," Alice agreed, a cheeky look on her face. "Only with James!"

All four girls burst into laughter.

* * *

"Our last night out here," Sirius mused to himself.

"I never realised how beautiful it was before," Marley murmured. It was an impressive sight, watching the sun set over the Forbidden Forest from the top of the castle. She laid her head on Sirius' shoulder and groaned.

"What's wrong?"

"I don't want to face real life."

Sirius laughed. "At least we'll be doing something useful, instead of sitting on our arses and letting the war pass without fighting."

"Hmm, I suppose. I bet all the bad stuff that's happened this year's been linked."

Sirius frowned. "What do you mean?"

"After the Christmas party, I bet they were watching us together, then the nonsense with the love potion. We already know they killed James' parents and what if they sent the vampires to attack us, knowing that we'd be in the Forest for that exam?"

Sirius thought about it for a minute. "I bet you're right."

"Well, if I've figured it out, I bet Dumbledore has too," Marley said, stretching. "My bed or yours?"

Sirius grimaced. "I still need to pack."

Marley laughed. "I'm not doing it for you."

Sirius smiled at her, and kissed her. "I'll come over once I've finished."

"If I'm asleep and you wake me up, there'll be hell to pay, Black," Marley threatened.

Sirius paused by his window and looked back at the girl he loved with everything he had, admiring her in the semi darkness. "I'll try not to."

An hour later, Sirius slipped through the window and into Marley's bed.

"What did I say about waking me up?" Marley grumbled as she moved over to give him room.

Sirius laughed quietly. "I'm sorry. I couldn't resist."

"Good job I'm too tired to even care."

He slipped his arms around her waist and kissed her shoulder. "I love you, Marlene McKinnon."

She turned her head to glare at him. "Now you're just trying to make me mad."

"I can't help it, you just bring it out in me."

* * *

"Where the hell have you been?" Lily demanded of James at Hogsmeade station the next morning.

"I went to say bye to the house elves," James shrugged. "They've given me a lot of food over the years."

"I was worried you'd gotten yourself attacked or something," Lily scolded him.

Marley smirked at Sirius. "Just like old Lily and James."

"Ow! Lily! Get off!" James cried as she punched him repeatedly.

"I love you, you complete idiot, don't do that to me again!"

"What?" James gasped, shocked.

"I said I love you," Lily said, blushing.

"Oh here we go," Marley grumbled, knowing that James had been dreaming of this day for nearly eight years.

James smiled, and lifted Lily off her feet, kissing her.

"I love you too, Lily Evans."

Sirius nudged Marley, and pointed a few feet away, where Snape stood, as white as a sheet and an absolutely horrified look on his face. Marley couldn't help herself, and started giggling, prompting Alice to laugh, which infected the rest of the group to laugh with her.

"What?" Lily asked. "What's funny?"

"Snape," Peter wheezed. "He just heard that."

"Now guys, that's kind of mean," James attempted to tell them off, but his mouth twitched upwards, giving him away.

Lily tried not to smile too, but it broke through anyway. Any pain caused to a Death Eater was fine with her, even if it was her ex best friend.

* * *

"So... what now?" Peter asked, as they stood on platform 9 ¾.

"Pub?" Sirius suggested, and everyone else murmured in agreement. They headed towards the barrier muggle London, and walked to the Leaky Cauldron. It was a beautiful day, Marley thought, as she held Sirius' hand and chatted with her friends.

"Oh Merlin, we have to get jobs now," she groaned as they sat in a row at the bar.

"Well I could always use an extra pair of hands," Tom, the barman, said. "And you live down the road."

"I'll take it," Marley said straightaway. It was the perfect job. She lived less than five minutes away, and enough shady characters passed through that she could keep an eye out for any suspicious activity for the Order.

"That was fast," Lily commented. "We've not even been out of school a day and you already have a job."

"What about Alice and Frank getting on the auror program?" Marley argued. "That's much more impressive than being a barmaid!"

"To jobs!" Sirius announced, raising his glass. "I hope I never have one."

"Lazy fucker," Marley chuckled, downing her drink.

"Right," Sirius said, standing up a couple of hours later. "Let's go home, Marley."

"I can't believe you're ditching us," James pouted.

"We have a flat down the road, and my gorgeous girlfriend is drunk and needs a good shag," Sirius winked at his best mate, picking Marley up and throwing her over his shoulder.

"What about me?" Lily asked. "I'm homeless."

"Tom! A room for me and the lady!" James said gleefully.

"Lily," Marley slurred from her position on Sirius' shoulder as he carried her away. "As long as James is around, you'll never be homeless."

Sirius had been walking for a few minutes when Marley asked him why they'd left so soon.

"McKinnon, we've not been properly alone since Christmas. There's always been someone around."

"They could be dead tomorrow."

"_You _could be dead tomorrow."

"Fair point," Marley grinned, as Sirius carried her through their front door, and through to their bedroom. He laid her gently on the bed, and flopped down next to her.

"Ah McKinnon," he groaned. "I can't take advantage of you when you're this drunk."

Marley sat up, and flipped over so that she was sitting on Sirius' hips. "No, but I can take advantage of you."

Sirius grinned up at her, the cheeky grin that she loved. She bent down to kiss him, unbuttoning his shirt at the same time. He didn't move to allow her to take it off, instead he pulled her down, and she laid her head on his chest. His heartbeat was steady under his ribs, and he was unusually warm. She breathed his scent in deeply as he played with one of the many blonde curls on her head.

"Don't you want me?" Marley pouted, pretending to be hurt. Sirius simply grinned wider in response, and moved her hand down to his groin. She slipped her hand under his jeans and stroked gently with her thumb.

Sirius groaned. "I could stay like this forever."

So they did, and fell asleep like that, laying on the bed, arms around each other.


	13. Chapter 13

The next morning, Lily was sat at the bar of the Leaky Cauldron, reading a copy of the _Daily Prophet_ and running her hands through her hair in frustration.

"Nothing!" she complained to James. "No places to rent, anywhere!"

James chewed his toast thoughtfully. "You could just move in with me in Godric's Hollow."

Lily dropped her mug, which was thankfully empty. "What?"

"I sold my parents place and bought a cottage. You'll love it, if you decide you want to move in."

Lily narrowed her emerald green eyes. "When were you going to tell me?"

"I just did," James grinned at her cheekily.

"I suppose you'll just annoy me until I give in," Lily mused, nursing her now full cup of tea.

"Is that a yes?" James' hazel eyes brightened.

Lily nodded, smiling. James practically leaped over the table to kiss her.

"Oh God, please don't make my hangover worse," Sirius grumbled as he and Marley slouched through the door.

"Lily's moving in with me," James beamed, happiness radiating off him. "What're you doing here?"

"Sirius has decided he's got nothing better to do than watch me work," Marley said, slipping behind the bar. "And he wants to drink away his hangover."

"Please give me something Marley," Sirius begged her.

"No."

"Please?"

"No. You're not fucking up this job for me, Black."

"But I love you, Marley."

"Tough shit."

James had to laugh. Marley was good at putting Sirius in his place. "Come on Padfoot," he said. "Let's go."

Sirius rolled his eyes. "Fine. I'll meet you back here for lunch, ok?"

Marley looked slightly annoyed that he couldn't leave her alone for more than a few hours, but her face softened as he kissed her goodbye. "Alright."

James grabbed Lily's hand and Sirius' arm and disapparated.

"Oh James, it's perfect!" Lily squealed as everything rematerialised.

"Of course it is, I bought it!" he replied. Lily smacked him before going inside to investigate the house.

As soon as she was gone, James turned to Sirius. "I'm going to ask her to marry me."

Sirius' jaw dropped open in shock. "Really?"

James nodded. "We're in a war. Who the hell knows if we'll ever make it out alive?"

"Hmmm, I suppose, when you put it like that."

Sirius' mind started racing then. Would Marley want a commitment like that? He wasn't sure if he could do it.

"Oi, I'm talking to you," James was looking annoyed.

"Sorry."

"Merlin, you're not thinking of proposing to McKinnon are you? You know she'd kill you for suggesting it."

Sirius smiled. James was right. Of course he was. He put it to the back of his mind.

Lily appeared at the front door. "Are you two coming in or what?!"

They followed her through. The house was fully furnished, and ready to move into. In fact, James had already sent their trunks over when he left their room at the Leaky Cauldron that morning.

* * *

It was one o' clock when Sirius returned to the Leaky Cauldron. He spotted Marley, leaning on the bar, chatting to some guy. Before he could get jealous, she looked up, and a smile spread over her face when she saw him. The bloke she was talking to turned around, and Sirius realised it was her brother.

"I hear James is shacking up with his girlfriend," Drew said, trying to make conversation while Marley disappeared into the back room.

"He's doing more than that, he's proposing to her."

"_What?_" Marley gasped as she returned, horrified. "They've only been going out for about five minutes!"

Sirius shrugged. "You know James. He's been in love with Lily since he first laid eyes on her. And since she said those three magic words back to him he's gone mad."

Marley took his hand and said goodbye to her brother, and they left.

"I thought we were going out to lunch?" he questioned her as she pulled him towards their flat.

Marley shook her head. "My mother's around. Tom gave me the rest of the day off, anyway."

They'd reached their flat. Marley began preparing sandwiches, as Sirius was absolutely hopeless at getting himself food. Sirius sat at the table thinking to himself. He imagined proposing to Marley. Marrying her. Children. Growing old together.

He'd always thought he'd die young, fighting in the war. He'd always had morals, but now he actually had something to fight for, friends, and Marley.

Damn Marlene McKinnon and her ability to question everything he ever thought or knew about himself without even saying a word.

A plate appeared in front of him with chicken sandwiches on it. He'd just reached for one when a loud crack signalled James and Lily's arrival.

"Come right in, why don't you," Marley grumbled. "Don't bother with the doorbell."

"We're engaged!" Lily practically screamed at her. "We're getting married!"

* * *

"_Lily?" James murmured, not wanting to disturb her from her book, but not being able to wait any longer._

"_What is it?" she turned her face towards him, her emerald eyes meeting his hazel ones._

"_I need to ask you something," he had one arm around her, she was snuggled into him, and he used his free hand to push her coppery hair back from her face. "I know it's a bit sudden, but I've been thinking about it for a while..."_

_James suddenly moved so that he was bent down on one knee, pulling a small black box from his pocket. Lily gasped. Her expression was unreadable; he was reminded of the time they'd first kissed._

"_I know it's really soon, but we're in the middle of a war. We might both be dead tomorrow. I couldn't ever forgive myself if I didn't at least ask." He opened the box, revealing a pale emerald sitting on a gold band. The colour matched her eyes exactly._

"_Yes," Lily interrupted._

"_What?"_

"_Yes. I'll marry you. You're right, we might not get another chance. I love you, and we should celebrate it while we still can."_

_James smiled the biggest smile he ever had._

* * *

Their happiness was so infectious that Marley and Sirius couldn't help themselves but grin too.

James and Lily left after ten minutes to tell their other friends, leaving Marley and Sirius in awkward silence.

"You don't want..." Sirius began.

"No," Marley interrupted him before he could get the words out. "Don't say it."

Sirius sighed in relief. "Thank Merlin."

Marley came to sit on his lap. "I love you, Sirius. I'm happy the way things are. Let's just leave it at that."

Sirius grinned. "I don't think I could have said it better."

* * *

Lily felt nervous as she stood in front of her childhood home. She hadn't been back since Christmas, and now she was engaged.

James squeezed her hand, and pressed the doorbell. It flew open at once.

"Lily!" her mother cried. "Oh darling, I'm so glad to see you!"

Lily's father peered around the door to the living room as Mrs Evans pulled her into a tight hug. "Lily! We didn't think you were coming back!" He joined their group cuddle, and James stood aside, watching awkwardly.

"Oh! I'm so sorry love, who's your friend?" Mrs Evans asked Lily, wiping a few stray tears from her eyes.

"Mum, Dad, this is James Potter... he's my fiancé."

James pushed his glasses up his nose, smiled, and held out his hand for Mr Evans to shake.

"Of course," Mr Evans said, smiling in return. "We saw you at the wedding but we were a bit busy with Petunia and Vernon."

"It's understandable," James said. "I hope you can make it to ours, whenever we decide to have it."

Lily and James ended up staying for tea. Lily needn't have worried, her parents adored James. He was polite, charming, funny... Lily wondered why it took her so long to fall for him.


	14. Chapter 14

It was amazing how quickly they'd been able to organise a wedding. Just over two weeks later, Lily was getting ready, with the help of her mother, and her friends.

Mrs Evans walked back into the room, and Lily looked up. "Is she...?"

Mrs Evans shook her head. "I'm sorry, darling."

Lily's face crumpled, and tears fell down her cheeks.

"Oi!" Marley said. "None of that. I just fixed your make up."

"Sorry," Lily sniffled. "It's just... my own _sister _isn't coming to my wedding. I have no maid of honour."

"A what?" Alice asked.

"It's a muggle tradition," Lily explained to her bridesmaids. "Marley, will you do it?"

"What do I have to do?"

"Nothing, just walk down the aisle with Sirius."

"I was going to do that anyway," Marley said. "Yeah. Alright."

A knock sounded on the door, and Peter poked his head around. "Ready?"

Lily took a deep breath, and stood up. She looked a vision in her dress. "Yes."

The two groomsmen (Remus and Peter) and the best man (Sirius) were waiting for the girls outside, as well as Mr Evans, who was giving Lily away. Peter took Alice's arm, and Remus took Mary's. Marley wondered idly if she still liked him, but before she could ponder it too much, Sirius grinned down at her.

"You're bloody beautiful, McKinnon."

"I think Lily wins today," Marley smiled in response, and they walked through the door and followed the others down the aisle, where James was waiting at the end.

His face lit up like a Christmas tree when Lily entered. He'd always thought she was beautiful, but she really shone today, he realised. She smiled a warm but nervous smile at him from the other end of the room, and he simply beamed in response. Her nerves disappeared. She was safe with James. She always would be.

When Lily reached him, everyone else took their seats. Marley sniffled as they began to take their vows.

"What's wrong?" Sirius asked her quietly.

"I honestly never thought this day would happen," Marley tried to wipe the tears away, but more kept coming.

Sirius kissed her forehead. "Neither did I. I thought he'd fuck it up."

James overheard them, and laughed. "You have so little faith in me, Padfoot. I was always going to win her over in the end."

"Yeah, but we all thought she'd chuck you for being an arsehole," Sirius said bluntly. "We never _actually_ thought you'd end up getting married."

"Can we get back to my wedding now?!" Lily demanded. "Or are you going to abuse him some more?"

"Sorry," Sirius grinned.

Five minutes later, they were declared married, and James leaned down to kiss Lily.

"I love you Lily," he grinned at her.

"I love you, James," she smiled, her eyes shining with tears of happiness.

"Right! Let's get drunk!" Sirius proclaimed, throwing Marley over his shoulder as he usually did and escorting her out of the church. She snatched a bottle of champagne off a table as they passed through the doors. James and Lily laughed together at the sight of their two best friends. Sirius and Marley always stole the show, even though they never meant to.

"God, I can't believe Lily put me in pink," Marley snorted a little while later, looking down at her dress. "This is ghastly."

Sirius lazily flicked his wand in response and it changed to a garish shade of lilac. Marley simply gave him a filthy look.

"What?" he protested, slurring his words slightly.

"It's fucking lilac, that doesn't look good on _anyone_."

"I beg to differ sweetheart. We're leaving now."

"Why?" Marley asked. The reception had only been going for a couple of hours. Lily and James hadn't even cut their cake yet.

Sirius whispered something in Marley's ear, causing her to blush and they both disapparated.

Peter shook his head as he look around the room. James and Lily were having their first dance. Frank and Alice were making googly eyes at each other across the table, and Remus and Mary were snogging in the corner of the room.

"Oh fucking hell," Peter muttered, and left too.

* * *

Back in their flat, Sirius and Marley hadn't even made it to the bed before Sirius' hands were exploring. He ripped her dress off, too drunk to fiddle with the zip.

"Oh God," he groaned at the sight of her in her underwear.

Marley kicked off her shoes, and pulled him towards their bed. He collapsed on top of her, tearing his shirt off, but not bothering with his tie. He was rushing, and she pulled away.

"Sirius, you're drunk," she said firmly.

"No," he breathed. "Nothing's ever been clearer in my life. I love you Marley."

As if to prove it, he kissed her softly, taking her by surprise. He'd never been gentle with her before.

"Marlene Lauren McKinnon," Sirius muttered, separating each of her names with a gentle kiss on her neck. "I love you. Fuck, I can't even explain how much I love you. Marry me."

Marley gasped in shock. "What?"

"Marry me."

"Sirius, you're only asking me because you're drunk."

"Like fuck I am," Sirius' voice grew louder. "I'm asking you because _I bloody love you_."

"No," Marley said, shaking her head. "You're asking me because we're both outcasts and we only have each other."

Sirius glared at her. "If that's how you feel, then fine." He stood up and pulled his shirt back on.

"Sirius, wait -" Marley began, but he disapparated. "Fuck!" she screamed at the wall.

* * *

Sirius hammered on Peter's door.

"Padfoot, what are you doing? I thought you were shagging McKinnon?" Peter asked grumpily when he answered.

"Change of plans," he replied tersely. "Let's go out."

Peter's eyes widened as he saw how drunk Sirius was. "Shouldn't you go home?"

"I don't have a fucking home, she said no to me!" Sirius shouted at him. He had to understand.

"Huh?" was all that Peter could manage, before stepping out the door, thinking of getting Sirius to walk it off.

"She fucking said no. I asked her, and she said no. Bitch."

"Right," Peter said, still having no idea what Sirius was going on about.

"I'll show her fucking no," Sirius said, weaving his way to the nearest bar. "Marlene fucking McKinnon," he muttered under his breath.

Peter began to panic. James was at his wedding, and Remus was surely still busy with Mary, which meant that he'd have to deal with Sirius on his own. Under normal circumstances he'd fetch Marley, but he had a feeling they'd fallen out.

Two girls at the bar of the pub they'd entered looked up in interest.

"Hi ladies, this is my friend Peter, he'd like to buy you a drink." Sirius dropped his voice to a whisper. "Pick one."

The girl with dark red hair and sparkling blue eyes held his interest.

"I'm sorry about my friend," he apologised to her. "He got drunk and fell out with his girlfriend."

"Girlfriend?" The girl's eyes widened. "My sister'll be disappointed." She looked over to where her darker haired sister was batting her eyelashes and flashing her cleavage at Sirius. "I'm Emily, by the way. My sister's Katie."

"What do you do, Emily?"

"I'm a photographer," she said, pulling some photos out of her bag. They were still. The girls were muggles. Peter sent a glance towards Sirius, but he was busy smirking at the girl in front of him, who was swooning.

"You know," Sirius slurred loudly. "I asked my girlfriend to marry me and she said no."

"I can't imagine why," Katie purred at him, resting her hand on his leg.

Emily mimed vomiting at the scene unfolding in front of them, and Peter laughed at her.

"You should probably go and fetch his girlfriend before Katie throws herself at him," Emily suggested. "He doesn't look like he's capable of saying no right now."

"Yeah, I suppose," Peter sighed. It didn't look like he was getting lucky tonight. "Nice to meet you, Emily. I'll be back in a few minutes."

He wandered outside, ducking into an alleyway to disapparate. When everything reformed, he was stood outside of Sirius and Marley's flat. He knocked.

The door flew open, and Marley stood there, in baggy pyjamas, looking like she'd been crying.

"Oh. Hi Peter," she said listlessly.

"Sirius is drunk," he said. "You should come and get him before he does something he regrets. He only listens to you."

Marley stood aside to let him in and disappeared into her bedroom to get change. After a few minutes she emerged, wearing a tight black t shirt and jeans. Peter grabbed her arm and they disapparated. Marley strode straight into the pub.

"Oi," she shouted, as loud as she could, as soon as she spotted him with a girl leaning alarmingly close. "_He's mine_."

"I don't think so, love," Katie drawled. "You said no."

"That doesn't change the fact that he's my fucking boyfriend," Marley drew herself up to her full height.

"I thought you didn't want me, Marley," Sirius said, somewhat pathetically, giving her the puppy dog eyes he was so good at.

"I'll deal with you in a minute," Marley snapped. "Once this bitch kindly removes herself from your lap."

"Excuse me?" Katie shrieked. "We were getting along perfectly well before you came along. Look at you. No wonder he doesn't want you. You look a wreck."

"Say that again," Marley hissed dangerously.

"What the fuck are you wearing? Nothing flattering, love. And you're not wearing any make up."

Marley slapped her around the face with all the strength she had. Katie launched herself at her in response, and they rolled around on the floor, fighting.

"Merlin, this is hot," Sirius grinned, and Peter gave him a look. "What?"

"Do you even know what you've done?" Peter shook his head at Sirius. "Do you even care?"

"Wormtail, right now, I'm too drunk to care," Sirius beamed.

"You're such an arsehole, Sirius," Peter shouted. "Look at what you had with her, and you go and wreck it just because she said no to marrying you. I don't fucking blame her now."

The grin slid off Sirius' face. "What are you saying, Wormtail? Are you in love with her?"

"What? No!" Peter shouted, shocked. "You're just really fucking lucky to be with the person you love, to have her company, she gave herself to you completely and you're just being a dick now. I fucking hope she chucks you."


	15. Chapter 15

Sirius awoke alone in the Leaky Cauldron the next morning, his head throbbing. He cursed as the memories from the previous night came flooding back to him. He leapt out of bed, ignoring his hangover and ran to his and Marley's flat. Before he could raise a fist to knock, however, the door flew open, and James stood on the other side.

"Prongs!" Sirius panted. "Where's Marley? I need to see her."

"I don't think that's best right now," James said stiffly. "She's pretty upset."

"Fuck, I know. I was a complete dick. I don't know what I was thinking. I wasn't thinking."

Lily appeared behind James. "Can I have a word?"

James disappeared, and Sirius was left alone with Lily.

"Don't say anything," she said, as he opened his mouth. "You have to understand how she feels. She doesn't feel like she's worth anything to anyone. Not even you. She's been shunted her whole life, I mean, have you met her mother? Then you come along and make her feel normal and then you drop this bomb on her and you just expect her to say yes and skip off into the sunset with you? She thinks you only asked her so that you wouldn't be alone for the rest of your life. She doesn't think you love her at all, you know."

"Of course I bloody love her!" Sirius protested.

"Your display last night didn't help," Lily said in a strained voice. "Peter said that right after he told you off you passed out. Marley's in a hell of a state, she didn't want you back here at all."

"Does she want me here now?"

"Would that stop you?"

"No." And with that, Sirius pushed past her and strode in.

Marley was curled up on the sofa, her head in James' lap. Her face was red and puffy, and Sirius still thought she was the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen.

"Marley."

"Fuck off, Sirius."

He dropped to his knees in front of her. "Marls," he whispered softly, and fresh tears formed in her eyes. "I asked you to marry me because I love you. Of course I love you, how can I not? It's always been you. You're my only family, Marls."

"Hey," James said indignantly. "What about me?"

Marley sat up. "I'm not enough for you. I'm not skinny, or leggy, or pretty."

"Fuck off McKinnon, you're gorgeous. Everyone in the sodding world knows that," Sirius reached up to wipe away her tears. "I love you for _you_. What you look like is just a bonus. I'll still love you when we're eighty and have grandkids and we're all grey and decrepit. And I'll still think you're beautiful."

"Ok," Marley took a deep breath. "I'm not ready to say yes yet. But I will forgive you for being a complete arse."

Sirius got up, took her hands and pulled her into a cuddle.

* * *

It was that night that Sirius began having odd dreams. The first few times it happened, he put it down to having strange days, but he woke up exhausted from them, no matter how long he slept.

_He was back at Hogwarts. Someone was walking in front of him, someone he knew well. He'd recognise those honey coloured curls anywhere._

"_Marley!" he called out to her, and she ignored him. "Mar!" _

_She continued to walk away from him._

"_Marls?"_

_Eventually she turned around, her fingers wrapped tightly in someone else's. _

"_Huh?"_

_Instead of her usual Gryffindor scarf and tie, her colours had been replaced with navy and bronze, and the person next to her..._

The first time, Sirius woke in a cold sweat, shaking. She'd been with him. A version of themselves that never existed, she a Ravenclaw, and he a Slytherin. In his dream, she had a sparkling diamond ring on her finger. They were already engaged, even though they couldn't have been over sixteen.

These dreams led Sirius to ponder what might have been. If he'd been a good son like his brother, would his parents have arranged his marriage? Would they have chosen Marley? He looked over at her sleeping form. He'd give anything to shield her from the war, which was getting worse by the day.

_A woman with wild brown hair was sat at his kitchen table. _

"_Dromeda?"_

_She looked up, and smiled. As striking as her resemblance was to her sister Bellatrix, her eyes were softer, kinder. "Hello Sirius."_

"_Why are you in my kitchen? Or my dream, for that matter? Don't you have a four year old to take care of?"_

"_Actually, Dora's five now," his favourite cousin smiled. "And I'm here to have a chat with you, Sirius. You've been wondering what your life would've been like if you weren't a blood traitor like me."_

"_Well... yeah. I'd do anything to protect Marley."_

"_Well I'm telling you now, you're not allowed to join the Death Eaters," Dromeda scolded him, although her eyes were still kind. "You and me were always the odd ones out, the only ones with any morals. I met Ted and never looked back. A Slytherin _and _a Black, marrying a muggle-born!"_

"_I forgot you were a Slytherin," Sirius admitted._

"_Just because in your dream you were in Slytherin, doesn't mean you'd be any different. You'd still be fighting the war, you'd still be friends with James and Remus and Peter, even if your parents didn't like it, and eventually, you would've left. And you'd still love Marlene McKinnon, even if it was arranged for you to get married. Hell, Cissy loves Lucius and they were betrothed before they were even born!"_

"_And Bellatrix?" Sirius asked flatly._

"_I don't believe Bellatrix is capable of loving another person," Dromeda laughed, and Sirius joined her. _

"_I worry about Reg," Sirius said suddenly. "The amount of pressure they put him under -"_

"_He'll do the right thing in the end," she smiled. Andromeda Tonks was always full of smiles. "You'll see."_

_Sirius flopped into a chair and noticed a mirror hanging on the wall. "That's not usually there."_

"_Take a look and see," Dromeda smirked, before getting up and leaving. Sirius stood and walked over. Instead of his reflection, he saw memories. His memories. The first time he and Marley had held hands at the lake when they were thirteen, except his tie was green and hers was blue. The first cigarette they'd tried together when they were fifteen, hands almost blue with cold, and she'd stolen his scarf. His green and silver scarf._

_The images shifted then, to the future. Marley, looking angelic in a simple white dress, being escorted down the aisle by her father, James and Regulus stood behind Sirius as his best men, and Lily, Alice and Mary following Marley. Their mothers were silently crying at the union of their families in the front row. Andromeda, Ted and Dora were there, and Bellatrix and Rodolphus, and Lucius and Narcissa... _

_It hit him then. This was a world that was unaffected by the war. His family would always have prejudice, but with no war, it would never come to a head. _

_He leaned his head against the cool glass of the mirror as the picture changed again. Marley was reading a book on the sofa, and suddenly grabbed her stomach. She yelled, something that he couldn't hear, but saw his other self sprint into the room and help her up. She was pregnant, heavily pregnant, and apparently in labour. He stopped to place a gentle kiss on her lips and she hit him. Typical Marley. She was exactly the same. They were the same._

* * *

This time Sirius didn't wake up drenched in sweat. He simply lay there, staring at the ceiling, while Marley slept beside him, wishing for the life in his dream, a life with no war, no murders, no one out for revenge. A world where they were safe.

No one was safe now, particularly not those actively trying to fight in the war. Marley's job was to pick up on anything she overheard in the Leaky Cauldron. The aurors in the Order had to catch known Death Eaters, as the Ministry had no idea what to do anymore. Sirius had to try and think of what their next move might be, as he knew how they thought. That was the most difficult part; the acts of violence were all random and there were now so many that he had no idea where to go next. However, he had help in the form of James, who owned an Invisibility Cloak, and was sent to meetings to spy, often with Peter, in his animagus form, as no one would notice a rat scurrying around.

"This is ridiculous," Marley complained in November, after a particularly long shift at the Leaky Cauldron, and Sirius had returned home late because the Order meeting had overran. "I feel like I never see you anymore."

"I know," Sirius mumbled, putting his arms around her. "I'm sorry." He planted a kiss on her forehead.

Marley sighed. "It's not your fault."

For the last few weeks since their fight, Sirius would brood alone in their bedroom. However, today, he seemed to have snapped out of it.

"Are you going to tell me what's been up with you the last few weeks?" Marley demanded.

"Yeah, I started having weird dreams."

"How weird?"

Sirius looked out of the rainy window, not able to face her to admit to it. "Of what our life could have been like."

"What do you mean by that?" Marley frowned.

"With no war."

"Oh." Marley was silent for a bit.

"It was... pretty fucking great. Sometimes I wish it was real."

Marley simply looked at him.

"I definitely wish it was real. None of it would've happened, none of the shit with our families, no deaths, no disappearances... I'd do anything to keep you safe, Marls."


	16. Chapter 16

Marley was drumming her fingers on the bar at the Leaky Cauldron, as Tom had kindly let the Order use the back room for their meeting. She took it in turns to keep guard of the meeting with Drew, who drifted into the pub and nodded at her, and she slipped out quietly, joining the rest of them. She squeezed herself in between Sirius and James, who were talking in undertones.

"Is that... is that Meadowes?" Sirius asked thoughtfully, and Marley looked across the room. A familiar girl was sat there, with light brown hair in tight curls, a curvy figure, but quite short, towering heels, a _Weird Sisters _t shirt and a trilby hat.

"You know, I think it is," James nodded. "Wasn't she in the year above us?"

"Yeah," Marley said, announcing her presence. "In Hufflepuff."

The girl's brown eyes glared rudely at them, once she noticed them looking. Dorcas Meadowes was known for being grumpy. Her skin was slightly more tanned than the rest of them, but even that couldn't hide the faint blush on her cheeks.

After the meeting, the girl joined Sirius, Marley, Lily, James, Remus, Mary and Peter for a drink. Remus and Mary were awkwardly avoiding each other after the wedding. Remus didn't want to put Mary in danger of him being a werewolf, which Marley thought was ridiculous, and Mary just didn't think that anyone liked her in that way.

"Hi," Dorcas announced herself bluntly, sitting down without asking if she could join them.

"Erm, hi?" Lily said, although it sounded more like a question.

They discovered that Dorcas, or Doe, as she liked to be called, had missed out on the last year's events as she'd taken a year to go travelling. She was shocked to hear that Lily and James were married, and not altogether surprised that Marley and Sirius were together, although there was a hint of disappointment in her eyes.

"So, Pete," she turned to him. "Any special girl in your life?"

"Ha, as if," Peter replied, downing the rest of his pint.

A sudden explosion ripped through the bar, and the eight of them dived under their table.

"What the -? _Shit_," Sirius hissed, watching five black robed and hooded figures with their wands out walk through the wrecked room like they owned the place.

"Right," James said, taking charge. "Pete, transform. Lily, take him out. Mary, go with her. Wands out. Go back to our house and _don't leave. _That leaves five of us, and there's five of them. I'm going to cause a diversion, then Lily and Mary can leave with Pete. Once you're out, contact Dumbledore, Moody, anyone."

Lily nodded, and held her hand out for Peter, who'd transformed into the rat. He climbed on, and she put him in her handbag. Meanwhile, James leaped out from under the table and had caused a loud bang with lots of smoke. Marley pointed Lily and Mary towards the back exit and the rest of them stood to face the Death Eaters with James.

Marley was good at duelling, as good as Remus. Sirius and James were slightly better. None of them had anticipated how good Dorcas was.

She let out a war cry, silently erected an invisible shield charm and ran forwards, shooting hexes and jinxes everywhere. She took on three at once, quickly stunning one and battling the other two.

Marley was watching her in shock when Sirius shoved her roughly to the ground. She was about to protest, when she saw the silent scream on his face.

He'd taken a Cruciatus curse for her.

The Death Eater who had cast the curse's hood had fallen back. A wild woman was revealed, with untameable dark hair, and dark eyes filled with pleasure. She let the curse on Sirius fade away.

"Bellatrix," he gasped weakly.

"Well well. Sirius Black," she spat, as James hit his Death Eater with a full body bind curse. He levitated one of the ones Dorcas was duelling and his hood slipped off too.

"Snivellus," James snarled, his face filled with hatred. "I'll send my dearest wife your regards."

"She... she married _you_?" Snape's face was filled with revulsion, just before Remus hit him right between the eyes with a stunning spell.

Dorcas' Death Eater took the opportunity and ran, dodging her curses.

Bellatrix shrieked with rage, waking up Snape and the other stunned Death Eater, who grabbed the other and disapparated. She fired Cruciatus curses everywhere with such speed and anger they cut through everything they hit.

Unfortunately, Marley wasn't quick enough to roll out the way, and one hit her directly in the chest.

She screamed so loudly that she didn't hear the crack of Bellatrix disapparating. Searing hot knives were digging their way through her bones and slicing into her muscles.

"_Finite_," Remus muttered quietly, and the curse ended, although the pain still lingered, making her bones feel hollow. She felt quite faint.

Sirius crawled through the wreckage of the bar towards her. "Marley. _Marley._"

Groggily, she turned her head to face him. "Sirius?"

"I'm _so _sorry she did that to you," he whispered, looking absolutely devastated.

"It's ok," she replied hoarsely. "It's not your fault."

"Fuck," he hung his head, grasping her hand and kissing it. "I love you, Marlene McKinnon."

"When I've recovered, I'm going to kick your arse for using my full name," she said grimly, and he laughed.

* * *

A month later, they had both fully recovered from the attack on the Leaky Cauldron. Luckily, no one had been seriously injured. Professor Dumbledore had given them a few weeks off duty and Marley had been given time off work too.

"I could get used to this," Sirius rolled off Marley one morning, out of breath.

"You never get out of bed anyway," Marley smirked at him.

"That's just a lie, McKinnon," Sirius grinned at her, his grey eyes sparkling with mischief.

"Whatever, Black," she rolled her eyes and got up.

"Where are you going?!" he demanded, watching her scrape her long, blonde curls back into a ponytail.

"We're having lunch with everyone in an hour," she reminded him, grabbing her towel for a quick shower.

"Then you won't mind if I join you, in the interest of saving time," he gave her a cheeky grin and ran ahead of her to the bathroom.

"You're late," Lily told them, as they slid into their seats, flushed from running, half an hour late.

"Sorry Lily," Sirius said, giving her his best apologetic look. "Where is everyone?"

"Remus is ill, Mary's 'unavailable'," James rolled his eyes. "Pete's at the bar with Doe and Alice and Frank couldn't get time off work."

"When you say Remus is ill and Mary's unavailable, do you mean they're finally fucking?" Marley asked bluntly.

Lily gave a small smile at her choice of words. "No. Remus really is ill and Mary's away."

A look passed between the two women and everyone understood. Mary was on a mission for the Order.

"Alone?"

"No."

"Good. What about Remus?"

"Furry little problem, isn't it," James grinned, and Lily rolled her eyes at how casual her husband could be at his best friend's lycanthropy.

Sirius looked over to the bar. "So, Pete and Doe?"

"I hope so," Lily smiled. "He deserves someone to make him happy."

They returned to the table then.

"It's my birthday tomorrow," Dorcas announced. "And I hear the Marauders throw legendary parties."

"Are you telling us you want a party instead of a birthday present?" James asked.

"Got it in one."

"Have it in our flat," Sirius offered. "The landlord doesn't give a shit if the place gets trashed."

"It already _is _trashed," Lily muttered.

An owl fluttered onto the table and stuck it's leg out in front of her. Lily pulled the letter off and let out a shriek.

"Mary's in St Mungo's!"

"What? What happened?" James urged.

"She was attacked... Come on, let's go!"

The six of them disapparated from their seats and reappeared in the welcome area of the hospital. Lily ran forwards, yelling at the woman behind the desk to get them to Mary MacDonald and get them there now. The poor woman looked startled, but pointed them in the right direction, and off they all ran, James and Marley in the lead, and Peter bringing up the rear, gasping for breath. They burst through the doors to the ward.

"Oh God," Lily's hands were over her mouth in shock.

The usually beautiful Mary was laying on a bed, apparently asleep, her skin a stark white compared to her usual olive complexion. Her raven hair clung limply to her forehead with sweat and she was covered in deep scratches.

"What happened to her?" Peter gasped, trying to locate a Healer.

Mary's eyes opened in response to his voice, their usual sparkle absent. Her eyes were just a flat blue.

"I got attacked," she said quietly, not being able to speak any louder. She attempted to sit up, and winced.

"Well, obviously," Sirius rolled his eyes. "I think Pete meant specifically."

Mary shook her head. "Dumbledore asked me not to say. Just... I've got a whole lot more in common with Remus now than I ever would've liked."

"Remus!" James suddenly remembered.

"I'll get him," Sirius offered, and strode out of the ward.

"It'll be ok, Mary," Lily said, holding her hand. "We're all here for you. We're not going to abandon you."

Tears were falling down Mary's face. "I love you guys."

"Yeah, James, Sirius and Peter can keep you in check with Remus," Marley offered, not really knowing what to say.

"I dunno, three of us with two werewolves... it'll be difficult," James said. "But not impossible," he quickly added, responding to Lily's glare.

"Mary!" Remus shouted as he sprinted through the door, looking only slightly better than she did. "Oh Merlin Mary, I never wanted this! I should've been the one to go on that mission."

"Don't be stupid, you couldn't go," Mary said sharply.

"Was it... him?"

Mary nodded weakly. "I think he knew I was coming."

"Let's give them some privacy," Lily suggested, and the six of them left Remus and Mary alone in the ward. As they left, Marley glanced behind her and saw Remus take hold of Mary's hand. She couldn't help but smile to herself. As dire as her situation was, at least something good would come out of it.

"I have an idea," James suggested, as soon as they were out of the door. "Marley, Doe, you stick with Remus after he's had his potion on a full moon. Sirius, Pete and I will deal with Mary."

"What?" Peter squeaked. He was a shy individual who, although he had known Mary for seven years, felt uncomfortable at the prospect of watching her deal with her transformations.

"Mary's tough, Peter, she can deal with it," Lily reassured him.

"I guess my birthday party's off then," Dorcas looked disappointed, but she knew that her friends came first.

"We'll throw one when Mary gets discharged," Sirius suggested.


	17. Chapter 17

On the day of the next full moon, Dorcas' birthday party still hadn't been thrown. Everyone was too busy, the amount of Death Eater activity had tripled since Mary's attack and the Order were running around everywhere. James, Sirius and Peter had taken Mary off to a secluded forest, where she wouldn't encounter any stray wanderers (they wouldn't say where, in case Remus remembered and followed them). Marley was sat in Remus' living room with him. He'd taken his potion, grimaced at the taste and was currently dozing in front of the fire.

"Marley?" he asked, shaking himself awake.

"Right here, Remus," she said, kneeling down in front of him.

"I should be with her," he sighed.

"She might lose control," Marley bit her lip. "I'm sorry Remus, but it's for everyone's safety. Besides, I don't even know where they've taken her."

"Read to me," he insisted, like a child.

Marley rolled her eyes and picked a book off the shelf that looked like it was the least boring. She began to read, and felt herself nodding off after an hour. Before she fell asleep, she noted that the door was locked, Remus was safe after taking his potion and was currently curled up on the floor in front of the fire as a tame wolf.

Remus sensed when Marley had fallen asleep. His amber eyes opened, and he determined that it was safe to move. He padded quietly to the bathroom on all fours and tried to concentrate on disapparating. He'd never done it in his wolf form. He didn't even know if it could be done.

It worked. The Shrieking Shack, which had been used for his transformations, formed around him. He sniffed around. They were upstairs. He could hear a great deal of growling, a growl which he recognised as Sirius'. He was trying his best to keep her in check. Suddenly, there was a piercing howl, a werewolf's howl.

He sprinted up the stairs and practically knocked the door of its hinges in his eagerness to get to her. He noted James' surprised expression and Sirius' growl of warning, but proceeded to her anyway.

She was beautiful in her wolf form. Thick, shiny black fur covered her elongated body, her claws clattering on the floor as she paced around in agitation. Her sapphire eyes glittered as they locked onto him, and then she pounced.

He knew instantly that she wasn't attacking him, but recognising him as her mate. He growled at James and Sirius to back off and they did, leaving the room. Sirius ran downstairs and changed back to his human form, before disapparating.

"Marls?" he called out as Remus' flat appeared around him.

"Huh?" she gasped, sitting up on the sofa. "What's going on?"

"Remus paid us a visit..." he grimaced, joining her on the sofa.

"Bloody bastard, giving me the slip," Marley muttered.

"Well, the good news is she didn't attack him."

"Oh God, they're having sex aren't they?" Marley made a face.

"I bet she'd have attacked him if she hadn't had the Wolfsbane potion," James called out as he arrived.

Marley stifled a yawn as Peter followed James into the room. "I'm going to kill him."

The four of them fell asleep on the various sofas and chairs in the room, and were only woken by the sound of someone apparating in a few hours later.

Marley opened her eyes blearily. Remus and Mary were holding hands, looking shifty.

"You!" Marley jumped up and started to punch Remus in the chest. "You snuck out! You bastard!"

"Ow!" Remus protested feebly. "Alright! I know. I just... I had to be with her."

"You're a dick!" Marley finished punching him, before rounding on Mary. "And you! Don't think I don't know what you were doing last night!"

Mary rolled her eyes.

"Do you even know what happens when werewolves mate?"

"You can't lecture me on beastiality, Marlene, you shag Sirius!" Mary argued back.

"Hey," Sirius protested, but Marley ignored him.

"Well, if either of you had ever taken Care of Magical Creatures, you'd know that when werewolves mate on a full moon they produce offspring."

"Pardon?" Mary had gone pale.

"Offspring?" Remus looked equally shocked.

"Werewolf cubs," Sirius cut in, deciding that Marley had done enough shouting for one day.

"How? What? How?" Mary demanded.

Sirius shrugged.

* * *

"You have eight weeks," the Healer announced upon examining Mary. Remus had taken her to see a lycanthropy specialist at St Mungo's later that day.

"How does it work?" she demanded.

"I can't tell you how many you're having, but basically, the litter spend the next eight weeks growing in you, then when the next full moon after that occurs, you'll give birth."

"Will I get fat?" Mary asked, suddenly worried.

"Usually a litter of four cubs takes the same amount of space as a normal healthy human baby, so yes, you will show."

"But they won't be human?" Remus cut in.

"No. However, they will be extremely intelligent."

"What about raising them?" Remus asked. "Should we keep them as house pets? Or release them into the wild?"

"That is entirely up to you. At around six months old they'll be fully grown, and it is unadvisable to keep four in one house."

"Shit," Mary swore after the Healer left, rubbing her eyes.

"I'm so sorry," Remus whispered.

Mary sighed. "It's not your fault."

"If I hadn't have come -"

"I probably would've gone to you," Mary finished. "You heard the Healer. Werewolves seek each other out, it's only natural."


	18. Chapter 18

"Remind me to never _ever _have children," Marley announced to the room, as Mary was curled up in agony in Remus' living room eight weeks later. Remus sat protectively at her head and she periodically let out a howl.

"Me too," Lily said faintly, sat at her side. Sirius sat, as the dog, on the sofa, and James hadn't bothered to transform, knowing that they were both safe under the effects of the Wolfsbane potion.

"Oh God," Lily groaned, seeing what was coming out of Mary and going pale. "I think one's coming."

Marley made a face and prepared the towels. Sirius huffed impatiently and laid his head on James' lap.

"It looks like a dog," Marley said, watching it come out, and carefully drying it off with a towel, before placing the golden coloured animal next to Mary's stomach.

"Awww, it's so cute!" Lily gasped, cooing at it.

"Is it over yet?" Peter shouted from the kitchen, not wanting to watch.

"Not even close," James called back.

"I think the first one's a boy," Lily said, pointing at it as it rolled around.

"Well spotted," Marley said sarcastically, and Sirius gave a bark of laughter, hopped off the sofa and began nudging her with his nose.

"God damn it Sirius, no fucking children," Marley muttered, knowing what he was saying without the words. Mary began howling again as the next cub came along, this one grey in colour.

"This one's a girl!" Lily announced proudly, cooing over it. Mary growled at her.

"Oh right, sorry Mary," she placed the cub next to the other, where it began blindly crawling towards it's mother, trying to feed.

"I only wanted to adopt a wolf cub," Sirius said suddenly, making them all jump. They hadn't noticed him change back. "I like having dogs around."

"You _are _a fucking dog," James pointed out.

"How many is she having?" Lily asked again.

"Three," Marley replied. "I think the last one is coming."

Suddenly the door banged open, and James, Sirius and Peter grabbed their wands and ran towards the intruder.

"It's Greyback!" Peter squealed, as James and Sirius attempted to fend off the werewolf with curses.

Remus let out a feral snarl and joined the fray, just as James and Sirius transformed.

"Get the last one out," Marley told Lily. "I'll go and help."

She snatched her wand and ran towards the commotion. She sent spell after spell at Greyback, but they all bounced off him. Sirius ran at him, jaws snapping, but he hit him back like it was nothing, and Sirius crumpled against the wall, bleeding.

Greyback was snarling fiercely, pushing his way through to the living room.

"He wants Mary!" Marley shouted, as she too was pushed aside like a rag doll. Ignoring her own injuries, she crawled over to Sirius and attempted to revive him. Peter ran in to defend Lily, as James and Remus tried to attack Greyback from behind.

"Back off, Lily!" Marley screamed, as Remus slipped past him and stood in front of Mary, defending her.

By this point, she had no view of what was happening. All she heard were two cracks in quick succession, the first one followed by Remus being thrown out of the room, and the second followed by Lily's scream. Then there was deathly silence, and Greyback ran out of the flat, a blur of dark fur.

James transformed back and ran into the living room, Marley following him, carrying Sirius in his dog form. He was still unconscious.

Mary lay on the floor, human again. The only logical reason was -

"No." Marley said. "She's not dead. She can't be dead."

"Her neck's broken," James' voice sounded rough.

Remus limped in, still a wolf, and laid beside her, howling once.

The silence was broken only by the cubs' squeaking, and the group's ragged breathing.

* * *

To make things easier, Marley and Sirius had taken a cub, and Peter was helping Remus with the other two. Sirius woke a week later, in the middle of the night, to find that Marley wasn't in bed.

"Mar?" he said hesitantly, spotting her laying on the sofa, still fully dressed, with the golden cub on her chest. "It's four in the morning. Come to bed."

"It's not right," she muttered.

Sirius knelt beside her. "I know."

"Poor Remus. Poor Butters."

"Who the fuck is Butters?" Sirius asked, and Marley gestured to the cub, asleep on her chest.

"Bed," Sirius said firmly. "Now." He took the cub off her chest, which stirred, yawned, and carried on sleeping. Sirius placed it in the soft dog bed in their bedroom, and turned to find Marley collapsed face down on the bed, still in her clothes.

Sirius was woken a few hours later by a gentle tugging at the duvet. He opened his eyes blearily, noting that Marley was in the exact same position that she'd fallen asleep in. He looked around and found Butters, with the corner of the duvet in his mouth, trying to wake him up.

"Alright, I'm up," he grumbled, and the cub sat and thumped his tail against the floor. "I suppose you want a piss?"

He bounded towards the balcony. Sirius let him out, lit himself a cigarette, and Vanished the mess once it was made. He marvelled at how much the wolf cub had grown in the space of a week. He transformed into the dog and let Butters play with him for a while.

After the cub had exhausted himself, he curled up next to Sirius for a nap. Sirius, still a dog, laid his head down in between his paws and thought about the past week. Marley had thrown herself into looking after the cub, taking time off work to do it. No doubt she was trying to distract herself from thinking of Mary. She had single handedly reared Butters, and it was beginning to take it's toll on her. Sirius thought that if they ever had children (and now that they'd officially been together for nearly two years, he let the occasional thought of it pop into his head), he'd have to pull his weight more.

He sighed, and thought of the last few months, since he'd proposed to Marley. Obviously she didn't think he could go through with it. He needed to prove to her that he could. He stayed in his Animagus form, and took a nap with Butters.

"Sirius?" Marley yawned, as she walked into the living room. "Where – oh."

She knelt down beside him and stroked his head. He looked up at her and she curled up on his other side, leaning on him.

"I love you, Sirius," she said quietly. "I know I've not been great lately... but I just miss her so much." Marley began to sob into him.

Sirius transformed back, and held her as she cried.

"I fucking hate this war," she sobbed. He kissed her gently in response, rubbing the tears away with his thumb.

"Listen," he said. "You'll always have me. I won't let anything happen to you, I promise. I love you."

"What if you die too?" she asked, looking stricken at the thought.

"Like hell you'll just stand there and let me die," Sirius chuckled. "You'll march right on in there and get yourself killed trying to get revenge."

Marley laughed too. "You're right."

Sirius thought it was now or never.

"I really want you to reconsider..." he swallowed. "Marrying me."

"Sirius..."

"Just think about it."

"You're very persistent."

"I'm not hearing a no," Sirius grinned.

"I'll think about it," Marley said, a note of finality in her voice.


	19. Chapter 19

The next day was Mary's funeral. Marley couldn't bring herself to pay attention. The words that the minister spoke weren't of the Mary that she or her friends knew. Her mind drifted, thinking of the short amount of time that her friend had actually had with Remus. Three months barely seemed like anything. They might all be dead tomorrow.

"Yes," she muttered to Sirius as they filed out of the church.

"Hmm?" he seemed confused.

"Yes. I'll marry you."

Sirius lifted her up and spun her in a circle, exhibiting his happiness.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Remus' voice cut through them like a knife.

"Ah, sorry Moony," Sirius said guiltily. "It's just... we're engaged."

"You always do this," Remus shouted at them, losing his temper for the first time in a while. "You always take the focus off other people. Today's about Mary, _not about you two_."

"Remus, we didn't mean -" Marley began, but he cut her off.

"No. You never mean to, you just don't think about anyone but yourselves."

"Remus," Lily said gently, laying a hand on his arm, but he shook her off.

"Just go," he said harshly.

"No," Sirius said stubbornly, earning himself a glare from Remus. "I think Mary would've been happy that we finally got our shit together. So we're staying. We miss her just as much as you do."

Remus lunged forwards and his fist connected to Sirius' face with a crack.

"Fuck," Sirius swore, hand covering his nose, blood streaming down his face.

Remus collapsed in a pile on the floor, shaking. Lily looked to James, and he nodded. James waved his wand and fixed Sirius' nose. Lily dropped down next to Remus, and he sobbed on her shoulder.

"I loved her!" he cried. "I loved her and I never even got to tell her."

Lily murmured comforting words and rubbed his back.

"Hey," Alice came to fetch them, her own face red and puffy. She and Frank hadn't been able to see the rest of the group for a while due to Auror training, and they were devastated when they heard about Mary. "They're putting her in the ground."

The eight of them crowded around the grave.

"Someone say something," Marley begged, the first to break the silence.

James sighed, and stepped up to do it. "That funeral was utter crap. Mary knows it. We all know it. She was the most sarcastic, sassy bitch I've ever met. She picked up on everything. She took it all in her stride. She must be rolling in her coffin right now."

Remus had finally stopped sobbing. "I love you, Mary MacDonald."

James waved his wand, and the empty space above her coffin filled itself with soil, and flowers sprung from it, beautiful pansies that captured the exact colour of her eyes.

Words flashed across her headstone. _Mary Elizabeth MacDonald, 18__th__ September 1959 – 12__th__ April, 1979._

"Pub?" Sirius suggested after a few minutes of silence.

"Is alcohol your solution to everything?" Lily asked, half exasperated, half amused.

"Yep," Sirius replied, grabbing Marley's hand and disapparating.

* * *

Remus shook his head to dispel the alcohol. He'd taken to wandering the streets of London alone at night since Mary died, and the night of her funeral was no exception. Everyone else was waiting for him at the Leaky Cauldron, but he didn't care. Peter hadn't realised just how much he'd drank this morning. He was getting better at holding alcohol than even Sirius.

He found a park that he and Mary had sat in, after she'd been released from St Mungo's. He sat on that very same bench, under the shade of a cherry tree. He buried his face in his hands. "Oh Mary," he muttered.

The bench creaked downwards with another person's weight. "He can bring her back, you know."

Remus' head snapped up. A dark hooded figure was sat at the opposite end of the bench. "Pardon?"

"The Dark Lord, he can bring her back. He can provide for people like you."

"No spell can bring back the dead," Remus told himself more than the Death Eater. "And I don't much fancy running around with the likes of Greyback, especially seeing as he was the one who killed her."

"Greyback wanted revenge. She caught him, he turned her. He meant to kill her on the spot but she got away."

"He turned _me_," Remus said. "He's ruined my life twice now. Why the hell would I want to fight for the same cause as him?"

Remus stood and disapparated before the Death Eater could tempt him with more false promises and lies. He returned to his flat, alone, and slept on the sofa with two of the werewolf cubs on his lap.

* * *

"He shouldn't be alone right now," Lily panicked the next day.

"He probably just wanted some space," Sirius pointed out. "He's barely had any time to himself, looking after the cubs and arranging the funeral."

"I tried to do stuff for him but he wouldn't let me," Peter said.

"Why would they even want him or Mary anyway?" Alice tried to reason. "Remus is half blood and Mary was muggle-born."

"They want to take down as many people as possible who might be something to do with the Order," Marley cut in. "I bet they'll appeal to Remus' werewolf nature too, by telling him he can have a better future with them."

"Good job I said no then," Remus' voice cut in. "Am I late for the meeting?"

"Moony!" James jumped up to hug him. "Don't scare us like that again!"

"Sorry," Remus apologised. "I just... I needed some alone time."

Dumbledore started off the Order meeting at Lily and James' cottage with a few minutes of silence out of respect for Mary. Marley tuned out most of what he was saying, as Sirius' hand was squeezing her thigh, his fingers slowly moving up underneath her skirt. As soon as the meeting was over, she grabbed his hand and pulled him up the stairs to the spare bedroom that had one sofa bed in, meant for guests who were too drunk to make their way home.

Sirius locked the door, and pulled her towards him, running his fingers up and down her slim body. She took his hands and led him to the opposite wall, crushing him to her. He fiddled around under her skirt, finally removing her knickers and tossing them behind him. She unzipped his jeans and clambered on.

"Oi!" James pounded on the door. "You're not shagging in our house!"

"Bit late, Prongs," Sirius called back. "_Oh God, Marley_." She'd clenched around him with all her strength, and judging by his sudden frenetic response, he'd enjoyed it.

"Ah, young love," Dumbledore chuckled from downstairs.

"I thought them being engaged would calm them down, not make them worse," Lily grumbled.

"They're engaged?!" Alice yelled. "Why did nobody tell me?!"

"Did you miss _everything_ at Mary's funeral?" Remus asked, amused.

"I love how we're still the source of all the gossip," Sirius growled into Marley's ear, slowing down some.

"I love how we still _do _stuff that makes us the source of gossip," Marley grinned.

As they finished (together, as always), Sirius slipped out from underneath her.

"I still haven't got you a ring," he said, retrieving her knickers from the floor.

"I'm not really bothered about a ring," Marley shrugged, tugging them back on.

"Maybe you should get me one," Sirius teased her.

"You're such a woman, Black."

"Sirius and Marlene Black... I quite like that," Sirius said, as they went downstairs.

"James!" Marley complained. "He's turning into a hopeless romantic like you. I don't like it."

"Sirius, I need to speak with you _now_," James insisted, and dragged him off.

"What's that about?" Marley asked Lily, as the redhead surveyed her.

"What's going on?"

"What do you mean?"

"You said no the last time Sirius asked. What changed?"

"I don't know if you noticed, but one of our best friends was brutally murdered in front of us," Marley said. "It was quite the eye opener."


End file.
